Paw Patrol: The Band
by OGxTangotheRGS
Summary: When Ryder passes during a failed mission, the pups must find a way to move on, knowing he wouldn't want them to suffer. After hearing a song by a band called Slipknot, they all eventually realize the band was the one thing that they were acually able to do without Ryder. Can they stay united by forming a band? Even when things take off, there's still plenty that can go wrong.
1. Intro

This intro is almost identical to Retaliation, except for the fact that the pups stay home and it's confirmed Ryder's death was an accident. If you read Retaliation, just skip this into.

The pups were heading back from a failed mission. A very failed mission. All six vehicles were swerving, each pup unable to focus on the road. No one in Adventure Bay would be able to ponder what had just happened. Marshall was bringing in the bad news in the back of his EMT converted truck. Chase was leading the escort, then Marshall, and the other pups trailed behind. They were at a slow pace, which really signaled the depression.

Everyone in Adventure Bay knew something was wrong when none of the pups stopped by to say hi. They knew something was worse when they realized all six pups were deployed but Ryder wasn't leading on his ATV. Ryder wasn't there at all. The six vehicles pulled up to the lookout in .silence. Marshall gradually got out of his truck and opened up the doors in the back of the ambulance.

"I can't handle the sight!" Skye said.

"It… this can't be!" Chase said.

In the back of Marshall's ambulance sat Ryder's body. Motionless, lifeless. The pups weren't going to be able to survive or live on without him. None of them wanted to. Marshall put his paw on Ryder's face. There was no body heat being generated. It was inevitable. All the pups collapsed and broke down.

"I always thought he was immowtal!" Zuma mourned.

"It's not right!" "He didn't deserve this!" "Why couldn't it have been me!?"

Ryder had fell to his death. None of the pups could've done anything to help him. The pups worked together to pull Ryder's body out of the ambulance. Once they laid him down, they all gathered around his body to mourn… and mourn. They knew their lives were imminently going to end with his.

Hours passed, and each pup had fallen asleep from exhaustion from crying too much. It was morning when they had woken up again to Ryder's body. They mourned for an hour longer, then figured they had to go show Adventure Bay what had happened. They worked together to put Ryder's body back into the ambulance, then formed a formation going into Adventure Bay as a sign of respect.

Chase led Marshall, who had Rocky and Rubble on each side, tailed by Zuma and Skye. They each had their emergency lights on, however, were going slow. The people in Adventure Bay saw this and, not seeing Ryder, they knew something was seriously wrong. Katie knew what was wrong, and followed the pups, who came to a stop in front of town hall. Mayor Goodway came out of the building unaware of what was going on.

"Hey Paw Patrol! Why are you all sad?"

Marshall opened up the rear doors on the ambulance and showed her and Katie Ryder's body. They were both in complete shock. Mayor Goodway's good day turned around. There were a few citizens to witness, then a few turned into a bunch, then a bunch turned into everyone in Adventure Bay gathered around to see Ryder deceased with their own eyes.

"He fell… to his death," Chase said.

"There was nothing we could've done," Rocky said.

Cap'n Turbot, also having a good day, pulled into the dock to see everyone gathered at town hall. From the distance, it looked like a party.

"Adventure Bay is having a party without me!? This town will no longer be Turbotless!"

Cap'n Turbot docked his boat and hurried over.

"Adventure Bay can't have a party without Cap'n Turbot!"

A lot of people thought Cap'n Turbot was being disrespectful, but the pups knew he had no clue what was going on.

"Cap'n Tuwbot… it's not what you think," Zuma said.

Cap'n Turbot started to realize something was really wrong. Zuma escorted him to the ambulance. Cap'n Turbot realized this was the opposite of a party. He had no idea how to react when he saw Ryder's body. His good day was also turned bad.

A day passed, and Ryder's funeral was arranged. Marshall pulled up with the casket with Ryder's body in the back of his ambulance. The funeral formation pulled up to the cemetery and the pups got out, and got in the lookout formation while Jake and Cap'n Turbot pulled the casket out of the ambulance.

The pups tried to hold in their tears as well as they could as the ceremony was going on. Skye couldn't hold it in. She broke down and Rocky was there to comfort her. Skye crying caused Marshall, Rubble, and Zuma to break down as well. Chase was used to holding back tears, so he was able to stay in formation.

With assistance from Mr. Porter and Mayor Goodway, along with Alex and Katie earning a place, all carried Ryder's casket to the grave. The pups got into the formation that they would be in when they're in the Paw Patroller. Zuma, Rubble, and Skye on one side, and Rocky, Chase, and Marshall on the other. When everyone was sat down, no one expected Mayor Humdinger to show up. Everyone looked back when he walked in.

"I heard the boy had died, and I just thought I'd come by and pay my respects."

The service for Ryder lasted a long time. Everyone wanted to pay their respects and share stories about when the Paw Patrol had rescued them. Mayor Humdinger even came up. No one really had respect for him.

"As most of you know, I'm a big rival to Adventure Bay and the Paw Patrol. There's been many times where I have been frustrated from the Paw Patrol ruining my plans. There was some burning hate… but… I never would've wished this on the poor boy. Since I never got to say this to you personally kid, I'll say it now… I'm… uh… sorry… for what I have done. Rest well Ryder."

Mayor Humdinger sat back down in the back. The time to lower Ryder into the ground came. Each pup sat in resentment. Not even Chase could hold back the tears when he was lowered down. The service ended, and everyone but the six pups left his grave. Before the dirt was filled in, each pup set their pup tags on top of Ryder's casket. They spent that night next to the grave. The next morning, the pups went back to the lookout and was never heard from for the next week.


	2. Forming the Band

The pups were at the lookout, about a week after Ryder's funeral. The pups were malnourished from not eating, and they were weak because they hadn't had any activity. They knew that if they were going to live on and continue without Ryder, they had to do something, Everest at least has Jake to comfort her, and Tracker has Carlos.

"Hey pups, do you want to do something today?" Marshall asked.

"There's nothing to do," Chase said.

"Without Ryder, we can't do anything," Rubble said.

The pups just sat doing nothing like they had for the last week. Rocky was starting to get fed up with just sitting around waiting for an angel to come to get them.

"I'm not going to sit here, and drain my life away! Ryder's gone! There's nothing we can do about it! We need to move on with our own lives! Ryder wouldn't want to see us like this!"  
"But what is theaw to do?" Zuma asked.

"That, I don't know… but we can't just sit here."  
"We can't just continue the Paw Patrol. Ryder was the heartbeat of what we did," Chase testified.  
"What was something we were able to do without him?" Rocky asked.

The pups all thought. They had nothing. The TV had been on music stations for the past few weeks, so the pups had been listening to all sorts of music. Right now, it was on a metal channel. Skeptic by Slipknot was playing on the station.

"Wow, this music is intense!" Rubble observed.

"Listen to the lyrics, it must be about someone who died. They must've went through what we did," Chase said.

"It's actually… weally catchy! It's fast! It's tough! It's…" Zuma was cut off.

"Just like we were," Skye said.

Suddenly, the TV cut out. The pups were disappointed that the song had turned off.

"I'll go find something to fix it with," Rocky said as he headed out to his truck.

He opened up his truck and started searching for things to fix the TV with. That's when he found it! Their salvation! Their inspiration! It was the guitar he used when they played at the talent show. He grabbed it and the amp that came with it and went back to the lookout.

"I found it!" he said as he plugged the guitar into the amp.

"So you found your old guitar, but it's not gonna fix the TV," Chase said.  
"Or get Ryder back," Skye added.  
"No, don't you get it!? This was the one thing were able to do without Ryder! We played music at the talent show! We can form a band and live on the road performing in front of thousands, maybe even millions of people!" Rocky motivated.  
"How do you suppose we'd be able to just start up our band and get big?" Rubble asked.

"It's not like we really musically trained," Marshall added.

"It's all in your head. You don't think you can do it. To be motivated, you gotta follow you heart," Rocky argued.  
"How many bands are there where the members consist of pups?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, theaw's no such thing a band of pups," Zuma contested.

Rocky looked them all in the eye, showing them that they had just proved his point, "Exactly! How many bands of pups are there?"

"None!" Skye answered.

"See? Thank you! This is time for us pups to rise! This is time for us to become the first of our kind! To be renegades! We were already beyond our time with the Paw Patrol, but now, even with Ryder gone, we can still be the first and the best!" Rocky motivated.

"You know, that's not a bad idea!" Marshall started to think.

"We can combine our old music talents with what we just heard on the TV!" Rubble suggested.

The other pups started to get on board, "Now who's with me!? Who's ready to rock!?" Rocky pumped.

The pups went back to their beanbags and laid down.

"Well, that didn't go like I thought it would."  
"It's not wealistic," Zuma disagreed.

"We need to be happy! We need to move on without Ryder. It's what he'd want us to do, he wouldn't want us laying around miserable! This band is a way for us to be happy and keep going! It'll give us something to do, something to enjoy and live by!" Rocky motivated.  
Chase was the only one that was actually being motivated by Rocky's speech.  
"Count me in. When I played behind that drum set during the talent show, it was one of the most fun and exciting things I had done. Let's do it, Rocky!"  
"Do you really think anyone is gonna give a band of pups a chance? What place would let us play? What place would give us a record deal? Besides, we don't know the first thing about making music!" Marshall discouraged.  
"Besides, do you weally think I wanna stand theaw playing a tambouwine thwoughout an entiaw concewrt?" Zuma asked.

"It's not hard to learn something else. I can lend you a pup pack and you can play guitar with me," Rocky offered.

All the pups laid down, not budging. Rocky set up his guitar and amp and started playing. He switched on the distortion. It sounded cooler, but it was quite like what he heard from the song that played on the TV. He couldn't figure out why it didn't even sound close. He knew he needed to learn more. Chase busted out the drum set. It was so basic, it had one cymbal, a bass drum, a snare drum, and a lone tom.

The two started jamming, and it sounded awful, but it was a start. They needed more members too.

"Let's go get Everest and Tracker! They'll be as motivated as us!" Chase said.

The two got into their trucks and drove first to Jake's Mountain. They pulled up to the cabin.  
"Everest! Hey Everest!" Rocky ran in.  
"Wow, you pups are suddenly excited! Did Ryder talk to you spiritually?" Everest asked.  
"I think! I think Ryder told us what we need to do!" Chase said.

"Do you wanna join our band?" Rocky asked.

"You pups are starting a band!? Yeah! If I can play guitar, count me in!"

"We're having a problem motivating the other pups, but if we can get you and Tracker on board, we can probably get the rest going too!"  
"Count me in! Now let's go find Tracker!"  
"We gotta track Tracker!"  
They all got in and drove to the jungle, where they found Tracker and Carlos.

"Tracker! We're starting a band! Wanna join?" Rocky asked.

"A band? Yeah! Let's do it! You pups need some kind of motivation after Ryder died."  
"Nothing's really been going on here in the jungle, so Tracker needs something to do," Carlos said.

"Great! Let's go back to the lookout!"  
The pups picked up Popeye's on the way back to the lookout. They got a value meal big enough to feed all 8 pups. They got back, and Rocky gave Everest another pup pack and his guitar. Tracker pulled out some turntables he had found. Rubble saw Popeye's, so that motivated him to get up and join. He munched down a chicken strip, then another, then another. Getting food back in his stomach was giving him energy. He grabbed a microphone and started singing.  
"Hey Rubble, are you able to sing at a lower octave?" Rocky asked.

Rubble tried, but he couldn't sing lower.  
"This might be a problem, I'm approaching puberty, and when my voice gets low, I won't be able to sing at the same pitch I used to be able to."  
"We have a few years until puberty," Chase pointed out.  
"That makes it worse."

Chase started playing the drum set.

"That looks fun actually," Rubble said, "Can I try?"  
"Give it a go."  
Rubble played the set, and had a lot fun. All the pups realized he was the percussion type. But they can't have two drummers… can they?  
Marshall got to the microphone, "I can sing at a lower octave."  
He gave it a go and sounded really good. They were still faced with a problem though.

"But Marshall, you have stage fright!" Rubble objeced.

"After the talent show, I discovered I can sing in front of people."  
"Singing in front of thousands of people is a lot different than singing in front of Adventure Bay."  
"It can't be that different."  
Skye and Zuma eventually joined the crowd. Skye grabbed her keyboard that she used in the talent show.  
"This is a keyboard and synthesizer."  
"Hey Wocky, do you have anothewr pup pack?"  
"Here you go."  
Rocky, Zuma, and Everest all had identical pup packs so they could play string instruments.

"Alright, let's go to the music store, we need more instruments!" Rocky said.

AN: The reason the pups got Popeye's is because whenever me and my band gets together, we always get Popeye's, so I just thought I'd explain that


	3. Trip to the Music Store

The pups packed into the Patroller and headed to the music store. It didn't make sense to take 8 different vehicles, plus they needed the storage. When they got Adventure Bay Music, they browsed through everything that was in there.  
"This place is huge!" Rocky said shocked.

"I've never seen this many instruments before!" Chase said.

"Oh there's plenty for than this!" a salesman came from nowhere.

"What do you have?" Rubble asked.  
"A better question in what don't we have."

The salesman took the pups through a maze of instruments, from guitars to drums to keyboard to tubas to flutes, and many other things, up to PA and amplification systems.

Rocky, Everest, and Zuma were looking at the string instruments, while Chase and Rubble were looking at percussion, and Skye and Tracker were looking at turntables and synthesizers. Marshall was left alone having to look at microphones and voice projectors.

"Are all of you playing guitar, or is one of you playing bass?" the salesman asked.

"What?"

"Most bands with three string instruments have two guitarists and a bassist."  
"What's a bass?" Zuma asked.  
The salesman pulled a bass down from a rack, "This is a bass, it's a guitar that has a lower register and has four strings instead of six."  
Rocky observed it, "I thought I was playing a guitar, but it only has four strings… but it's not as low as this."  
"They do make a handful of beginner guitars with four strings. Why don't I get you a six string?"  
Zuma played the bass. He liked it over guitar. It was more simple and wasn't as obnoxious. The salesman was asking Rocky and Everest about their preferences.

"Do you prefer two or three pickups?"  
"What?"  
The salesman had to show and explain what pickups were.

"How many tone knobs do you prefer?"  
"What?"  
The salesman didn't realize how unfamiliar with guitars the two were. He explained the basics a little better and didn't ask so many questions.

"What kind of music are you all playing?"  
"We're not sure yet. We're thinking metal."  
"Then I'll get an amp with a distortion switch."  
"Make sure it's high wattage, preferably a 3 way 8 inch speaker," Rocky said, suddenly familiar with the language.  
The salesman brought out two amps, "Now just choose a guitar, and you can see how it sounds."

Everest went straight for an ESP V-50 guitar, then hooked it up. Rocky was having a harder time choosing. He asked Ryder for help.  
"Ryder… which one do you think?"  
Rocky had his head bowed down as he was talking to Ryder. When he lifted his head, he hit his head on a guitar. He looked at it. It was a BC Rich Warlock, one of the most notorious guitars of all time.

"You're thinking this one? Me too!"  
Rocky grabbed the guitar and started playing it. He hooked it up to the amp. It sounded amazing! He and Everest started playing together.

"Aww! You're a cute guitar couple!" the salesman complemented.

"Huh!?"  
Rocky and Everest looked at each other. The salesman actually thought they were dating? Meanwhile, a different salesman was helping out Chase and Rubble.

"So what are you looking for exactly? Are you looking for rock, jazz, something basic, something more complex?"  
"We're not sure. We're thinking something like Slipknot. We heard a song by them and it inspired us to move on," Chase said.

"Alright, so sounds like you need a double bass set."  
The salesman took Chase to a double bass drumset. It had six toms and seven cymbals.

"How's this?"  
"Woah! This thing is huge!"  
"It's perfect for metal."  
"I'll take it!"  
"What about me?" Rubble asked.

"You look like the type to want to be hitting the drums all up and down the stage. Here's a steel drum set. It comes with marching snare drums and keg drums."  
Rubble started messing around on that. He liked it. But what he didn't like was having to grip the sticks with his mouth. It limited his ability and gave him a headache. Chase got hooked up with multiple pedals, so he was able to play cymbals with his paws. Pedals would work for Rubble. He attempted to grip the sticks with his paws, but the sticks kept falling.

"I'm not sure about percussion. I can't just play with my mouth."  
That's where Rocky came in, "Hey Rubble, let me measure your paw," Rocky barked, "Tape measure."  
Rocky measured Rubble's paws then went out to his truck parked in the Patroller. Meanwhile, a salesman was trying to sell Skye and new keyboard and Tracker a new set of turntables when all they wanted was amplification.

"This right here is a top of the line synthesizer. It has every setting you can think of!"  
"All I want is some sound projection," Skye said.  
"Oh that's not a problem, this one here can be as loud as anyone could possibly need. You can effortlessly drown out your drummer."  
"Why get a loud keyboard when I can just hook mine up to an amp."  
"Oh you want a amplifiable keyboard! This here…"  
Skye was getting fed up, "Do you wanna sell something or not!?"  
"Yes ma'am, of course. Right this way, I'll show you some amplication."  
Soon Rocky came back with custom gloves for Rubble to be able to grip sticks and mallets. Rubble put them on, and he was able to play percussion with his paws. He immediately bought the steel drum set, since it came with a marching snare and keg drums. After the salesman that tried to sell Skye another keyboard sold her amplification gear, he tried to sell Tracker another set of turntables.  
"So you're gonna be a professional mixer with your own gear. You're gonna want something good!"  
"I already have high end turntables. I'm just looking for amplification."  
"Oh, I imagine you're gonna wanna do something outside of your metal band, like hip hop stuff. I bet you're gonna wanna DJ for Ice Cube."  
"So… what? Just because I'm a Chihuahua, have an accent straight from Mexico, and I'm playing turntables, you think I wanna move to East LA and become a hip hop DJ?"  
"No no no, trust me, I wasn't trying to do a stereotype, I just imagine you wanna get big, right?"  
"That's the vibe I get, stereotypes."  
That salesman had to give in and take Tracker to the amplification gear as well. Marshall bought a handful of microphones. He needed the smallest budget. 2 hours and $3,000 later, the pups returned back to the lookout, getting more Popeye's along the way. Skye was looking up Slipknot. They were coming to Adventure Bay next month!

"Pups! Pups! Slipknot is coming on the 9th!"

"Really!?" "How much are tickets?" "We have to go!"

"$40 each."

"So $320? It's worth it!" Rocky said.

"There's also going to be a band called Rammstein and a band called Trivium."

Skye bought tickets as fast as she could. The pups started practicing, fairly motivated.


	4. The First Practice

The next day, the pups got together to try to play music. Chase got behind the set and started with a simple 120 BPM beat. Rocky and Everest started playing along, then Rubble, Skye, and Tracker joined in. Marshall started to freestyle.

"We are the Paw Patrol! We solve problems while on a roll!

Moving on without Ryder, We face our biggest divider!"

What they lacked was bass. Zuma wasn't playing much. He wasn't very motivated. Being in a band was fun, but doing it without Ryder lost all of his motivation.  
"Come on, Zuma, you can play!" Chase motivated.  
"I don't know, I don't weally feel I can."

"For us! For Ryder! You know you can do it!"  
"I guess."  
Zuma started playing more. Unmotivated, but he sounded good. The pups started playing with Zuma. From the front of the lookout, the music could be heard throughout Adventure Bay. Eventually, there was a crowd that formed in front of them. Marshall tried to sing, but he kept seizing up because of his stage fright. Rocky and Rubble stood by his side and he was able to sing with their comfort.

"As we stand with our loss, We crossed lines we've never crossed.

We need motivation, we need life, we need hope

Something so we won't have to mope.

We all love you Ryder! The memory only gets brighter!"

It seemed like everyone in Adventure Bay was there. They were glad to know the pups had found something to make themselves happy. Of course, they still had some practicing to do. They didn't sound the best. After a little longer, everyone went back to what they were doing and the pups went in to try to assess what to do with the band. They knew they'd have to make their own songs.

"What are we going to do now? We jammed with our new instruments, now it's time to plan," Rocky said.

"Hey pups, check this out!" Rubble said.

He was looking at an ad that was in one of the stashed newspapers. IT was a battle of the bands ad.

"Battle of the bands 2016. Winner gets a cash prize and a record deal!"  
"When is it?"" Chase asked.

"December 12th."  
"It's September right now, we have two and a half months!" Marshall said.

The pups started to figure out what to do and set goals. Zuma, however wasn't doing much work. He was not motivated whatsoever.

"Alright, we should try to get five songs down and recorded," Rocky assessed.

"The requirements say we must have two of our own songs, then play a cover. So we need to find a song to cover!" Rubble pointed out.

"Slipknot? Might as well," Skye said.

"So we only need to do two songs?" Chase confirmed.

"I wanna be able to show off my turntable skills," Tracker said.

The pups eventually went crazy with what they wanna do. No one could communicate at this rate.

"Everypup calm down for a couple minutes!" Rocky shouted, "We start by writing a couple songs. We'll vote on which ones are the best."

The pups agreed and all laid down. They all had a piece of paper and a pencil. They all drew blanks. Everyone except Marshall. He was writing a potential masterpiece.

"Oh! I'm loving this! This… ooh!"  
Marshall was making so much noise, that it was distracting all the other pups.  
"Wanna shawre Mawshall?" Zuma asked.

"No! It's not done!"  
Marshall covered the page defensively. All the other pups either had a blank page, or lyrics that they thought were awful.

"Marshall, can you show us?" Chase begged.

"Hold on! It's almost done!"

A few minutes later, Marshall slammed down the paper in the center of the pup circle feeling victorious. Rocky and Chase were the first to read the song. Their eyes widened immediately as they read into the first chorus.

"This… is… AMAZING!"  
"You really think so?"

"Pups, grab your instruments!"

All the pups grabbed their instruments and set up. Marshall did not expect to get unanimous consent to have this be the first song they'd make. Rocky and Chase were assessing a sound for this song.

"So we're thinking something like this," Rocky said as he played the riff he had in mind with his guitar in drop C.

"And then have the drums go like this," Chase played a beat at 180 BPM.

Rocky and Chase started playing together, making a badass sound. Everest caught on an played along. Skye made a synth track that went along really well, then Tracker made a squeeling turntable track that also went really well. Rubble predicted breaks in the guitar and hit the keg drums at each break. He also played along to Chase's drum set with his steel drums. Lastly, Zuma managed to make a bass track.

Marshall took a listen. It sounded… ok… ish. There was work to be done, He ignored the need of practice, then looked at the lyric sheet he made. Marshall counted down _3...2...1_ with his paw to try to get the pups to prepare for the verse. Little did he know that's not how it works. All it did was take the pups out of time, and mess them up. He didn't know that he either had to wait for them, or if he's going to count it down, he should probably count to the timing. The pups stopped playing.

"Well, that was a success!" Rocky said.

"Until we completely lost it," Chase discouraged.

"Thanks Mawshall!" Zuma said.

"Alright, try again, I'll count better next time."  
The pups started playing again. He heard the two guitars blend together like uh… like… he couldn't describe the way the low distorted keys just blended the way they did. It sounded… sick! He had never used that word in the context before. Then he listened to how well the synthesizer morphed in, and the screech of the turntables in the background… He listened to the double bass, with the sound of the snare every other beat. The hi-hat topped it off.

There was Rubble, who mixed in the keg hits perfectly. Then there was Zuma, the bass blended in, yet was so noticeable. The sound he got was incredible for how little motivation he had. He knew how hard the other pups were working. This was the sound his friends… his brothers and sisters were making. He was leading it, and he was not going to let them down! He was so absorbed in the hypnosis, that he forgot to count down, or even start singing. The music stopping was what pulled him out of his hypnosis stage.

"Marshall!" Skye called.  
"Huh!? What!? Oh…"  
"What happened?" Rocky asked.

"Uh… I got lost in the music… uh here start again. I have an idea. When I count down, everyone stop playing. I'm going to count down again, then we start playing again. Got it?"  
There was mixed reactions. Some pups were down, some were skeptical, some were confused. Eventually, they started playing. Marshall almost went into hypnosis again, but he stopped himself. _Alright, don't mess up! Low octave! Your voice will get lower, better to have to deal with it now than later!_

Marshall got his heartbeat matched up with the tempo. Obviously at half the tempo, 90 BPM. He felt it, he counted down, _4 bars… 3...2...1 bar…_ The pups stopped. He counted 4 beats in his head then counted down with his paw. Unfortunately he only had 3 toe paws, so he had to leave an open paw for two beats. _4...3...2...1…_ The pups pounded away! Marshall let out a scream. It was unplanned, he didn't mean to do it, but it matched the song so well.

The song started with a chorus

" _Facing a death that almost tore us apart_

 _Together as we must depart!_

 _Confident as we found new art!_

 _Take the stage as adrenaline fills our hearts!_

 _As a team helping since the start!_

 _We're on a roll… on a roll… ON A ROLL!"_

Marshall looked at his lyric sheet. It said to add the refrain afterwards, however, he wanted to ditch the refrain until after the first verse. The pups played as Marshall didn't sing. He thought about how to change it. The rest of the pups stopped playing.

"What are you thinking, Marshall?"  
Marshall explained his idea. The pups continued to work on the masterpiece until at least 2 in the morning, when they were all tired and sick of the song. They eventually got a rough recording. They listened to it. They compared it to other music, such as the song they played for the talent show, which they got down fast, and they also compared it to Slipknot. The music they were playing right now was so much harder to get together compared to what they played in the talent show. They also have more instruments that have a crucial effect on the sound.  
"It's a work in progress!" Rocky said.

Rubble had already passed out. Zuma, hearing how unorganized the song was after working on it for 4 hours, lost whatever faith he had in the band.

"This is a waste of time," he said as he laid down on a bean bag.  
The rest of the pups didn't have as much faith in the band as they did at the beginning of the day either. Except Rocky and Chase. They were still extremely motivated. Skye still wanted it too. It was time for bed though. They turned on another metal station and fell asleep.

AN: I brought my band experience into this, obviously. If it weren't for me actually being in a band like this, I wouldn't have been able to write this chapter


	5. Pups' First Concert!

Two days before the concert, the pups haven't practiced for at least two weeks. They had something going, but they just let it slip. Rocky and Chase tried to motivate the rest to practice. Everest, Skye, and Tracker got up, but Zuma and Rubble still laid there.

"Popeye's?"  
Rubble got up, but Zuma just laid there still.

"Wyder…" he whined, "I feel like I'm abandoning him."

"You're not abandoning him. This is what he'd want you to do. Do you really think he wants you to sit around and mourn him?" Chase asked.  
"It seems like the wight thing to do."

"As long as you don't forget about him, he wants you doing whatever makes you happy," Rocky said.

"I don't feel wight doing this. Go on without me."  
The pups didn't want to, but they played without Zuma. They did the same thing the next day. It was the day after that, that changed everything. It was time to go to the concert! The pups prepared for a crazy time, knowing that it wasn't going to be like anything they've been to. They packed into the Patroller so they could go to the ampitheatre on the outskirts of town.

"I'm so ready for this!" Chase yelled.  
"This is going to be sick!" Marshall motivated.

"I can't wait!" "Slipknot's the best!" "I don't know about this."  
Robodog found a place to park the Patroller, then the pups all got out and ran to the gate. Problem was, there was a big line. Zuma wasn't willing to stand in it.

"Call me ovawr when the line dies down."  
Marshall lifted Zuma onto his back, "Or I could just carry you."  
"Weally Mawshall?"

Zuma had a weird feeling towards Marshall he'd never had before. It was really weird. But he didn't think anything of it. Plus he was too young to understand it. 15 minutes later, the pups were finally at the gate. Marshall dropped Zuma with no warning.  
"Weally!?"  
"Sorry Zuma, I guess I could've said something."

The gate scanned their tickets, the pups went through metal detectors, then they were in the venue. They walked into an area where there were vendors of both merch and food.  
"Free Rockstar over here!" a random vendor said.  
The pups made their way to sample the overhyped energy drink, then made their way into the seating area. There were lawn seats for general admission, then there were stadium seats, which the pups had. They immediately smelled smoke when they walked in.

"The place is on fire!" Marshall panicked, "We gotta evacuate!"  
He said it a little loud, panicking the people around them.  
"Marshall, the venue isn't on fire! Sorry everyone! False alarm!" Rocky corrected.

"That's the smell of cigarettes and marijuana," Chase educated.

Skye plugged her nose, "It smells awful!"  
"It smells oddly familiar," Everest said.

They found their seats and sat down. Skye walked around with her nose plugged. Zuma took a deep wiff.

"Is that what we'd smell whenever we take the stage?"  
"Most likely," Chase said.

"It's new… it's motivational."  
Trivium took the stage. Suddenly they heard a melody composed from various out of tune guitars, piano and an oboe. Then in came a smooth snare track. It was an insane build up that lasted about a minute, although it seemed longer because of the anticipation and the fact that the pups didn't know what was coming next. Eventually they heard it.

"IIIIN WAAAAAVES!" yelled singer Matt Heafy

Then in came the distorted guitar and melodic double bass. After a couple more times of Heafy yelling "In Waves," coincidentally (not really) the name of the song, a beautiful chorus melody, combined with booming double bass overwhelmed the pups, and the entire venue. (On YouTube, look up In Waves live, preferably at Wacken Open Air)

The pups were absolutely stunned! It sounded so… so… beautiful… yet badass… and… there was nothing else like it! What they heard on the radio stations, the studio recordings could never compare to the ear heroin that was being fed to them. In Waves continued. The crowd was roaring, but the pups were absolutely silent. The sound was just amazing! Nothing could compare… nothing they've made, no music they've heard.

Eventually In Waves ended, and the pups roared. How could they not? That was one of the greatest things they had ever experienced. Plus the crowd around them was in an uproar… so… how could they not join in?  
"Oh we've been waiting along time to come back to Canada! Especially Adventure Bay! Y'all are crazy!"

The crowd roared once again. Trivium started playing Watch the World Burn. Another beautiful sounding verse! How do they do it!? As Trivium's setlist went on, the pups just got more and more pumped up and motivated.

"If only Ryder was with us," Rubble said.

"Don't worwwy Wubble! He is! He with us in ouaw heawts!" Zuma comforted.

The pups were surprised with Zuma. He just suddenly changed. Trivium's last song ended, then the stage was blocked by a curtain. Rammstein was up next! In the meantime, the pups got food. They went up to a vendor.

"Can I get the chicken? Enough for eight pups," Chase said.  
"Big single order! Eight chicken meals!"

Chicken strips had become tradition at this point. Eventually all the pups got chicken, fries, and a soda. Then they went to a merch vendor.  
"Let's all get Slipknot shirts!"  
The pups agreed. After about 15 minutes of standing in line, each pup got something Slipknot and put it on. Some pups also got something from Trivium or Rammstein, then went back into the venue. The sun was beginning to set. As the pups were eating, they heard a bunch of ticks, almost like numbers ticking down on a timebomb.

They quickly finished eating because they knew Rammstein was taking the stage. The beeps got more intense when the countdown got to 10. A 9 appeared on the curtan. 9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1… After the countdown, there was a loud siren sound. Then there was a large bang that dropped the curtain. A synthesizer could be heard. Flake, the synth player appeared to be in weird clothing. Then they heard the drums start.

Christoph played a smooth solid beat. Then they coud hear two guitars playing along, and a platform lowering carrying Richard and Paul. Rocky and Everest looked at each other, knowing it'd be them soon. Ollie, the bassist, ran out to join them as they stepped off the platform. They played solid, heavy and welcoming music. There were explosions that went with the snare drum hits, then there was silence. In the small amount of light the sun still emitted, a figure could be seen dancing onto the stage.

Till, old, grey haired, yet still active as a kid pulled his top hat off and made eye contact with the crowd. He threw the hat up, and it got hit with a pyrotechnic explosive. With three hits to the ride, they started playing again and Till started singing. It sounded like gibberish to the pups except Rocky. Then Rocky pointed out why.

"He's singing in German!"

The pups had no idea Rammstein was German, but with a name like Rammstein, they felt they should've known. Rocky wasn't fully fluent in German, he had forgotten a lot, as he prefers not to speak it because of… memories. Most of the lyrics were made up from titles of their previous songs, but the chorus was new. (Look up Ramm4 live, preferably in Berlin. Ich Tur Dir Web live at Hurricane Festival is also a personal favorite of mine)

After the song, Till started talking with his strong accent. Rammstein continued with their setlist. There was a lot of creativeness, including Flake getting bullied during Feuer Frei! Thankfully they didn't play Bück Dich, as there was a lot of sexual stuff that they do on the stage, which the pups were WAY too young to be seeing. There was a song where Till shot a firework gun. Eventually they got to Engel, where Till was harnessed into a giant set of angel wings.

When he was up in the air, he looked like he was deep in thought. The song ended and he was brought back down. They were finished with their set. They were bowing and waving to the crowd and walked off stage. Then they heard a guitar riff. They're not done yet! They heard a female singing in Russian. Russian? That's when the music started going! There was a guitar duo! Paul was doing long lasting power chords while Richard was playing a riff that was bouncing around. (Because of international copyright laws, only the live version of this song can be found on YouTube. If you have Spotify or the Reise Reise CD, you can find the recorded version)

It was a mischevious sounding, complex, yet simple song. Till built up to the chorus really well. A female voice helped him dominate.

The sound of the chorus… it was… undescribable! It was… well, the only word I can think of to describe it is inappropriate for pups to hear… so I'll leave it at that. The pups were back to hypnosis like they were when Trivium first took the stage. Till lead back to a verse and back to the mischevious sound, then lead back to the chorus. The pups couldn't believe the sound. Eventually the last chorus came and the song ended with a final MOSKAU!

"That was sick! That was amazing! That's the song we're going to cover!" Marshall yelled, pumped up.

"We should! I loved the sound out that!" Chase agreed.

"But Marshall, you don't know German!" Skye objected.  
"No, but Rocky does!"  
Rocky tried to object.

"None of us know Russian," Rubble also disagreed.

"There were like 10 Russian words in there. It won't be hard for the girls to learn."  
Everest and Skye didn't like that Marshall automatically volunteered them.

"Marshall, you're forgetting something. I can't sing!" Rocky discouraged.

"Nonsense! All it takes is practice!"  
"Well, I still have a high voice! I'm not to your level, I can't sing at lower octave yet!"

"Yet!... oh wait… we kinda need it now. Well, you heard the way he was singing. It was almost rapping. Just make your voice low and you'll be fine!"  
Curtains covered the stage again! It was time for Slipknot! Or… was it? They waited for Slipknot to take the stage… and waited… and waited. The pups were wondering why they weren't starting.

"What if they're not here! What if they forgot!?" Marshall worried.

"They didn't forget… but… what if one of them got sick!? Or something happened!?" now Rocky was worried.

"They won't fowget! They'll still peawfoawm!" Zuma confirmed.

"I just hope th…" Chase was cut off.

"Center mic check, center mic check."  
The pups got to their paws thinking Slipknot had taken the stage. Jay got behind his drum set, and started hitting each drum to check the tuning, and to pump the crowd up… and fool the pups. Alessandro did a quick bass riff. The rest of the guys of Slipknot let the two new guys get the crowd pumped up. Alessandro replaced the late Paul Gray on bass in 2010 after he was found dead in an Iowa hotel room. Paul Gray was the heart of the band, he was the one guy that everybody loved. Jay replaced Joey Jordison in 2013, because Joey had developed a disease that affected his ability to drum.

Thinking Slipknot was about ready to start, the pups were on their paws and silent. Still, Slipknot had no intentions of starting. The pups waited… and waited… and WAITED! (Trust me, Slipknot pulls this shit, they make you wait to get you hyped up.) Then, the 200 pound red curtains covering the stage opened, and a soft melody started. Then they heard it. Corey Taylor's voice! The one, the only Corey Taylor! (Look up XIX and Sarcastrophe live at Rock in Rio) (And while you're at it look up Jay Weinberg's drum can for Sarcastrophe. That's what I dream of)

The crowd started singing along to the serenade of XIX. The pups didn't know the words, but it gave them chills. Chills of adrenaline, chills of hope, chills of the beautiful melody once again. It was the pulse of the maggots!

The crowd roared as Mick and Jim took the stage. Jim started playing the intro riff to Sarcastrophe. Clown and Chris could be seen getting behind their sets. They had steel drums! They had keg drums! That pumped adrenaline into Rubble! Sid took the stage to play his turntables, and Craig took the stage to play his keyboard. Each member took the stage in pairs, but Corey was nowhere to be seen!  
Suddenly the song got heavy. The crash cymbals and the guitar chords lined up. As the song was about to go into 200 BPM tempo, Corey Taylor finally took the stage.  
"ADVENTURE BAY!" Corey screamed.

The crowd roared and that's when it seemed like the world went redline. Screaming guitar, drums faster than the speed of sound, and nine dudes going absolutely crazy. That stunned the pups more than anything else they had seen tonight! It was energetic! It was badass! It was enthusiastic! It was inspirational and adrenaline pumping! Corey finally sang.

The pups watched in complete awe, unable to fathom the badassery of the song, the stage, and Slipknot. Zuma was absolutely pumped! He saw Alessandro's bass had frets that lit up! He had to get one like that! Rubble watched Chris and Clown, the percussionists. He knew exactly what to do now! Rocky and Everest could stop looking back and forth between each other and Mick and Jim. They saw how well Mick and Jim communicated, and knew they had to be the same way!

Marshall couldn't believe Corey doesn't blow out his voice with how hard he goes. The badassery went on. They got to the next refrain.

"Sing with me! Come on!"

The crowd joined in with saying "We are kill gods!" The pups caught onto it quick. After the bridge, they got to the outro.

"ADVENTURE BAY!" Corey yelled again as the song ended.

"Holy shit! You are some crazy fuckers man!"

The crowd roared.

"He sure does cuss a lot!" Marshall complained.

The next song started almost immediately. The Negative One started playing. It was another adrenaline pumping song. Rubble noticed Clown was hitting the keg drum with a baseball bat. It made a sick sound! That song ended and Corey made more commentary about how amazing Adventure Bay was and how much he appreciated the Maggots that support Slipknot. What Corey explained next made a lot of sense to the pups. They didn't know about Paul Gray yet.  
"Now this next song is solely about Paul, man. He was just a great friend, a great band mate, and he knows he will be missed every second that this band is in existence. We know he's with us all. He's with you, he's with me."  
Corey talked about Paul like… how the pups talked about Ryder!

"He loved everyone, everyone loved him! He was just that guy that would comfort you when you had a bad day. So let's remember him! He'd love to see all of you go crazy for him!"  
The pups all looked at each other. The guys in this band had gone through the same torment! They were both recovering from a world shaking loss! Slipknot started playing Skeptic. The pups recognized the song. It was the one that inspired them to start the band! (Skeptic is available on YouTube)

They couldn't believe this was the song they dedicated to Paul Gray. It was fast, it was heavy. It was crazy, just like he was. It just seemed so weird that it wasn't a mourning sounding song. Then the chorus came.

The powerful, fast, and crazy chorus ironically brought tears to the pups eyes. They could feel the pain. They could feel their pain with Ryder, combined with the bands pain with Paul. The six original pups completely broke down, Everest and Tracker weren't as affected. The song eventually ended with the pups soaked with their own, and each other's tears. Who could've known a song like that could make someone break down.

"Thank you so much Adventure Bay! Hey, could you shine the spotlights on the Maggots for me?"  
(Just FYI for those who don't know, Slipknot calls their fans Maggots)

"Oh that's what I liked to see! Friends and Family! We… woah, are those puppies? Maggots come in all shapes and sizes, not even necassarily human. That's…"  
Corey noticed the pups had been crying. That absolutely warmed his heart.

"It's ok pups! I'd go and dry your tears if I could. Hey, take the spotlight off them so they don't have anymore unwanted attraction towards them. Just remember, he's always always with you! He's always by your side, and he'll never leave! He loves you with all his heart!"

That just made the pups break down more, but in a good way. Not only did Corey Taylor just talk to them, but he also cheered them up. They knew he meant Paul, but it also felt like he was talking to them about Ryder too. With that speech, they realized they had Paul to help them through their torment as well. Slipknot played Dead Memories next. After a few songs, Slipknot said their fairwells. But, like Rammstein, they came back and hit the stage again.

They played The Blister Exists. That's where Rubble got even more percussion motivation. The song had an entire marching snare solo. Chris and Clown stood at the front playing a steady snare track. The next song was Everything Ends, which inspired Tracker, because Sid had a sick, obnoxious turntable track. The last song was Spit It Out. It went on like a normal song, then at the bridge, they did something different. (Look up Spit It Out live. Note London 2002 was a disaster)

"Alright, so here, I want to see everyone get down on the ground! Right now! Everyone get on the ground!"  
The whole crowd, including the pups got on the ground.

"Now when I say 'jump the fuck up' what are you going to do?"  
The crowd answered. Corey asked again, and got the answer he wanted again.

Corey sang the brutal bridge, then got to the punchline.

"BAM! JUMP THE FUCK UP!"

The crowd jumed around and went crazy, so the pups followed. Eventually the last "Spit it out" was heard, and Slipknot hit the showers. The pups were so pumped up! They were so motivated! The red curtains closed and Til We Die played.

"Oh no!"  
Skye broke down again, and eventually the other pups did. Puppies crying while walking through a crowd of people kinds stood out, so they tried to get back to the Patroller quickly. By the time they hit the exit, the emotion went away, and they were pumped up again. They couldn't believe this concert! The packed into the Patroller, got home, then quickly passed out.


	6. Zuma's Breakthrough

The next morning, Rocky had gotten up fairly early, and Zuma joined him. They were trying to plan the song. Zuma was jumping around, so motivated after the concert. They went to bed at 1, and it was currently 6. Zuma got too eager and jumped on all the pups to wake them up. He jumped on Chase first.

"Get up! Get up pups! Time to pwactice!"

"Uhh… what time is it?" Chase asked.

"It's 6:10! We're 10 minutes late!"  
He jumped on Rubble and Marshall.

"Get up pups! We have a lot of pwacticing to do!"  
"Zuma, let us sleep!" Rubble snapped.

"It's too early!" Marshall said.

"Wocky told me I can wake you all up!"  
"No, I said let them sleep longer," Rocky objected.  
"You weaw supposed to help me Wocky!"

"I'm just saying, it's early."

Chase got up, Marshall stayed awake, but Rubble fell right back asleep. Zuma woke up Everest, Skye, and Tracker, having little luck. The pups were really impressed though. He went from the least motivated to the most motivated overnight! All it took was that one concert! While Zuma waited for everyone to get up, he used his motivation to his advantage to write a new song.

He went up the elevator and sat in the observatory alone to write this song. He looked at the TV and control panels that Ryder had used to brief the pups whenever missions would come up. That brought the pain back. Not only did he think about how much he and the pups had mourned and missed Ryder, but also how the citizens of Adventure Bay had been without the Paw Patrol.

Everyone had needed the Paw Patrol's help. The pups helped people in town with all sorts of problems. Now, everyone had to struggle with the problems they had. They had to call others for help and go through hell just to do what the Paw Patrol could in minutes. The thought of everything caused Zuma to break down.

"Why did this happen!? What did we do!? What did Wyder do!?"  
Zuma dropped down and looked up towards God.

"Why did you take him!? Of anyone!? There's killaws all oveaw the woawrld! And you took him!? He loved us! He saved us! I thought we weaw good pups!"

He was crying harder than he did at Ryder's funeral. At Ryder's funeral, he was still in shock. Here, all the shock had been let out, and it was nothing but sorrow in his heart. He could not control his emotions. He had absolutely lost it.

"I… need watewr!"  
He grabbed a glass and filled it with water from the dispenser. He tried to drink it, but he lost it and just threw it on his face. He always loved the feeling of having water splash on him, but it was miserable. He fell to the floor, completely breaking down, screaming in his cries. He squeezed the glass hard enough to where it broke in his paws. Broken bits went into his paws, causing him to bleed, but all he could feel was the internal pain. That was until he felt something swipe through his fur. He looked back.

"WYDER!"  
Zuma went to jump into Ryder's arms, but he fell onto his tailbone. Suddenly, with Ryder being there, all his internal pain went away, and he started whimpering from the pain of falling on his tailbone and the broken glass in his paws.  
"Hi Zuma! I know you need me now more than ever," Ryder said softly as he went to comfort Zuma.

Zuma realized what was really going on and broke down again. He realized why he didn't land in Ryder's arms.

"You… you're here… visiting me… as a… as a spirit!"

"Just know I'll always be here for you, and all the other pups. Nothing bad is going to happen to you on my watch! I proud of all eight of you! You found something to move on with. It pained me to watch you all suffer the way you did."

Zuma wanted so bad to just cry into Ryder's chest, while in his arms, but… he can't.  
"I love you Wyder!"  
"I love you too Zuma! Don't forget it! Don't forget me either!"  
"Never! Never!"

"Oh also, there's someone else here too."  
There was a figure standing behind Ryder. Although he never found out what he looked like, he knew exactly who it was.

"Paul Gway!"  
"How's it going, Zuma?"  
"That's weally you!?"

"Well, I could just be some random guy, and you just assumed."  
Zuma knew Paul was joking.  
"I would hug you… but…"  
"It's alright, I don't want puppy germs."  
"He's always like this, he's so funny!" Ryder said.

"Just know, I'm here for you and the rest of your friends, just like Ryder is. Although, Slipknot and the guys I loved come first, but I'll be here. And coincidentally, we're both bassists, so it kinda works out."

"Thank you… so much!"

"No problem, pup! I gotta get going. I always got stuff I gotta tend to."  
Paul disappeared, off to either watch over Slipknot, or to return back to heaven.  
"And remember Zuma, if you ever feel like I'm here, I am. If you ever feel like I'm in your heart, I'm probably hugging you. Same goes for all the pups."

"Thanks Wyder!"  
"I'm going to leave you to write your song. Always remember that I'm with you!"  
"I will Wyder! Thanks!"

Ryder disappeared, and Zuma felt like he had unprecidented mental strength. He started writing. And writing. He broke down again as he wrote the song, but he wrote it. Blood and tears going into this song. Downstairs, the rest of the pups were all up.

"Where'd Zuma go?" Rubble asked.

"To the observatory to write a song," Rocky answered.

"How long as he been up there?"  
"Quite a while actually."  
"Is he ok?" Marshall asked.

"We should check on him," Skye offered.  
"Yeah, I did here a few thuds, but I think…"  
As they were debating on checking on Zuma, he came down. His eyes were blooshot red, he looked miserable.

"Zuma!" "What happened!?" "Are you ok!?" "Have you been crying!?"

"I have it. I wote it. It's about Wyder!"  
Zuma set it down for all the pups to read. Each pup broke down. Zuma went deep, he put detail in the memories. It was strong, it showed their remorse!  
"I think we should work on this one."  
All the pups agreed. They grabbed their instrments, and worked on the emtional, slow-tempo song.


	7. The Battle is Around the Corner

After two months of constant rehearsal and writing new songs, the pups had to figure out which songs they had to perfect. They only needed to perform two of their songs, and get a cover for Battle of the Bands. Zuma's song about Ryder wasn't going to fit in. Battle of the Bands was all about adrenaline pumping, fast, badass songs. Zuma's song was slow and mournful.

"What should we call our first song? The one Marshall wrote?" Chase asked.  
"I was thinking simply Paw Patrol. Self Titled song, might as well," Rocky said.

None of the pups objected. It was pretty much unanimous discision.  
"What's our band name gonna be?" Marshall asked.

All the pups looked at Marshall like he was stupid.

"Oh… I guess it's pretty obvious. We're the Paw Patrol!"

The pups cheered and celebrated. There was also unanimous descision on having it be a song they performed. They've written plenty of songs, with motivation after the concert. Zuma had contributed more to the band than anyone. He changed completely after the concert, and they the day he saw Ryder and Paul Gray. They just had to figure out the second song and the song they were going to cover.

"I still think we should cover Moskau by Rammstein," Chase said.

"That was my idea!" Marshall complained.

"I can't sing! You know that!" Rocky said, "And none of you can learn an almost full German song in three weeks!"  
Chase, Marshall and Skye really wanted to do the song. The rest of the pups wanted to try something new, but Rocky knew he couldn't sing and he couldn't lower his voice enough, and he didn't want to blow it for everyone at the event that could make their careers. Zuma was reading the cover guidelines.

"Hey pups, check this out! Foaw the covaw, there has to be a drastic difference from the cover. So I'm thinking even if we keep almost the same sound, but twanslate the woawds, it should be enough. Wocky won't have to worwwy about singing, and no one else has to worwwy about leawning Geawman."

The pups were on board with that. They all loved the song, but the language was the problem. Everest remembered another problem.

"Wait, there's Russian too."

"I might bee able to take care of that. I know a tiny amount of Russian," Chase said.

Rocky and Chase looked at the lyric sheet for Moskau. Rocky noticed two problems right off the bat.

"Well, we don't want to cuss in our songs. On the very first line, he says Dirne, which means whore. And a lot of the lines don't rhyme when translated to English."

Chase's Russian wasn't good, and he was having a hard time translating.

"Alright the intro means… something about telling you about the most beautiful city in the world, then she says Moscow. At the chorus she says 1,2,3, look, pioneers go here, with Lenin singing songs to them," Chase tried to translate.

"Lenin was a dictator, why would he sing songs to them?" Skye asked.

"This song is about how filthy Moscow is. Eesh, it seemed like such a glory filled song," Rocky said.

"You didn't understand the song at the concert?" Marshall asked.

"My German wore off, after I decided never to speak it again. I have to sit down and read it."  
"What's with you and the grudge you hold against German?" Everest asked.

"I'll explain it later… at a better time."  
"Come on Rocky! We're about to play at the event that could make or break our future career, and you're not going to tell us why you don't like to speak a language?" Rubble asked.

"I will… just… now's not a good time."  
The pups could tell something was bothering Rocky. Well, at least Chase was able to translate the Russian, and realized why the chorus didn't make sense.

"Oh that's why! I forgot the syntax of the Russian language is backwards from English! The pioneers are singing songs to Lenin!"  
"If only this song was in Spanish, it'd be easy," Tracker said.

"Unlike Rocky here with German, you don't have a grudge against Spanish. And you know it better than Chase knows Russian," Marshall joked.

Finally, it was assessed what they were gonna do. Zuma thought of it.

"Why don't we make ouaw own lywics?"

The other pups looked across each other, wondering why they didn't think of that. They all teamed up to make the song in English about Adventure Bay, rather than Moscow. It was more sentimental to them. Eventually, they turned Moskau into their own masterpiece. They still had to figure out the right opening song. That's when… Zuma thought of the right one.

"This one! The one Wocky and I wote! It has a sewenade in the beginning that's peawfect foaw Mawshall! It stawts out soft, Wocky plays an intwo, the hammaw dwops, and it gets fast. It's about Wyder and how good he made ouaw lives! It's called The Wider."

The pups took a look. The titlle was a good pun. They were skeptical about starting their show this way. It was a weak start. But, it shows who they are and what they went through. They wrote the music, and rehearsed it over and over.

For the next three weeks, they rehearsed nothing but The Rider, Moskau, and Paw Patrol. Eventually, the day came. The day came! They packed their gear into the Patroller, making sure they had absolutely everything. If they were missing one crucial thing, it would be awful. They headed out, and rolled up to the enclosed music venue.

There were plenty of other bands there. Some bands rolled up in a high end rental tour bus, others rolled up in old shabby tour busses, and others rolled up in a van or a Suburban with a trailer. Here's the Paw Patrol, looking successful with a semi-truck/RV hybrid with their logos all over it. They really hoped no one saw them, it looked so misleading.

They unloaded their gear, and took it to the specified location. They could see the stage. For a first show, this was an absolutely huge ampitheater! There were at least a couple thousand people there, along with the judges and record companies. There were other metal bands, rock bands, pop bands, hip hop groups, country artists, everything. It wasn't just one type of music. Marshall's stage fright kicked in already as the rest of the pups set up. They also noticed something else… They were the only pups there!

AN: Already at 1,000 views, thank you all! It's pretty good for my standards.

And to PAWPATROLFAN48, I'm a drummer. Sorry I can't figure out how to reply to reviews lol


	8. Battle of the Bands

The bands were up, going in alphabetical order, genre not mattering. When Marshall put the band's name on the entry form, he accidentally put zpaw Patrol into the computer, making them the very last band to perform. The very first band to perform happened to be a metal band. They were set up and the stage and hyping each other up. It was a five man band.  
Not only were they the only pups, they also had the most members. They were different from every other band. All the other bands actually thought it was a joke that a bunch of pups were going to perform. They looked at the list of bands. 32 bands were there! They were dead last to play! This was going to be a while! Assuming each band would have a 15 minute setlist, that's eight hours of watching each band!

"So what should we do in the meantime?" Chase asked.

"We could watch all the bands. The band membaws have a VIP section in the gwand stands!"  
The pups followed Zuma and found their seats. They had eight seats dedicated to the Paw Patrol. There were bands sitting in front and behind them. The first band finally took the stage. There were different judges for different genres.  
"Everyone give it up for the metal band The Air Raiders!"

The Air Raiders all ran onto the stage, stood to the cheers of the crowd, then waited for their drummer to give the signal. The drummer counted down, then they started playing. It was a mix of double bass, low distorted guitars, and a perfect combination of singing and screaming. The pups were impressed by this band. It actually made them scared. They covered Bat Country by Avenged Sevenfold.

That band finished their setlist, then the next band took the stage, drum sets being on a cart, and amps being small enough to haul off. It was a country band that came on next. Rocky, Everest, and Skye were the only ones that could really listen to country. It reminded Skye of her days as a pup, born in the south in the middle of Alabama. She loved those days, but… she lost contact with everyone there.

The pups voted to go outside to the band area. There was a complimentary snack bar for all the bands. Plus, most of them were out there by their busses, rather than spectating the other bands. They went outside to socialize and get food.

"What should we do? We got a seven hour wait!" Skye asked.  
"I know what I'm doing!" Rubble said, going straight for the snackbar.

Tracker went with him, while the rest of the pups went back to the Paw Patroller to make sure they had all their gear again. A couple minutes later, a couple members from another band came up to them.  
"Oh my God! It's true! There is a band full of pups!"  
The pups looked behind them to see a band full of girls that weren't far out of their teens, along with a gay guy.

"Yeah, we lost our human, so this is our motivation," Chase said.

"Aww! That's so sad! I hope you get famous!"

"Thanks, I hope you do too!" Rocky felt touched.

"We're the 15th band to go on. When do you go on?"  
"We're dead last… we're called Paw Patrol… but I kinda pressed the Z instead of shift on the computer, so now now we're the zpaw Patrol," Marshall admitted.

"That's so cute! Those keyboards aren't meant for your little pup paws!"

The pups were starting to feel awkward from this band, but they appreciated the motivation. Rubble and Tracker came back to this band being here.  
"So what kind of music do you play?" a girl from the band asked.

"Metal, Slipknot type of stuff."

The band seemed to be surprised. Well, it is surprising a team of pups played metal. Especially surprising that they were inspired by Slipknot.

"What kind of music do you play?" Zuma asked.

It was pretty obvious, three girls just out of their teens and a gay guy.

"Pop and RnB. It's the music we all love!"  
The pups weren't really surprised. They had to unpack their gear to check that everything is there and get stuff set up. They really hoped this band would leave soon. Luckily they did, but another band came up to them, laughing and mocking the pups.

"You hear that!? These pups are playing metal!"  
"They'll never make the real world!"  
The pups stopped unpacking their gear to focus on this band bullying them. That's exactly what this band wanted them to do.

"You think you're tough making fun of a bunch of pups!?" Chase defended.

"We know we're tough! We're going to destroy you!"

"Why are you attacking us like this!?" Skye asked.

"Why are questioning what we do!? We're our own bosses! One phone call to animal control claiming you attacked me, and you'll all be put down!"  
The pups looked back at the cameras in the Patroller.  
"We got cameras, make that phone call, and you'll wind up in jail," Rocky stated.  
"On a misdemeanor!"  
"You're still losing credibility!" Chase said.

"Just know you don't stand a chance! Your music will never last! No one will ever sign a band full of pups! No one will go to your concert! Just go crying home to your human right now!"  
That's what set the pups over the edge. Rocky had to hold Chase back from attacking them, and Zuma and Skye were brought to tears. Everest and Tracker felt so bad for the rest of the pups.

"Oh, so you're gonna attack me now!? Some helpful dogs you are! You either cry or attack! It's all you know how to do!"

Rocky pulled Chase by his collar as they walked away. Rocky had one last thing to say.

"Hey! Take a look at the podium during the awards ceremony!"  
The guys just laughed as they walked away. Another couple of guys walked up, knowing it was the wrong time, but they still did.

"What do you want!?" Chase screamed.

"We just came to tell you fuck those guys. Ignore what they're saying! They have no self esteem, and they're making fun of you because they're scared."  
"That doesn't make things better," Skye cried.

One of the guys, clearly a pup lover wiped Skye's tears. He comforted them, while the other talked to them.

"We're in the Hs. We're 11th to play. If you want to play earlier to get it out of the way, and help prove those guys that you know what you're doing."  
The pups really thought about it, but Zuma intervened.

"Hell no! We'aw going to be the last! We'aw going to headline this show, and kick ass!"  
Zuma got the pups pumped back up.  
"We'aw the Paw Patwol! Or… the zpaw Patrol as of right now! We'aw going to go all the way! We wecovawed fwom Wyder's death, and we'aw not going to let anything stand in ouaw way!"  
The pups all agreed and started howling with their adrenaline going.  
"If you need anyone to talk to, I'm Hush, lead singer of *******. (I censored my band name because we don't have copyright on it yet, and I don't want anyone stealing our idea) I'll be here for you!"  
"And I'm Tango, the drummer of our band!" (Yay, me lol)

"Thanks for the help," Chase said, friendly again.

Tango and Hush left. ******* was a very diverse band. Almost as motley of a crew as the Paw Patrol. Or zpaw Patrol as they'll be considered as until the end of the night. They went back into the grandstands to watch the other bands perform. It was a hip hop group up now. They had an old school sound, it was a mix between Run DMC and NWA.

"This is bumpin!" Zuma said.  
Rubble and Zuma were both in love with the rap music. Next up was a Papa Roach sounding band. Chase really dug that band. Then, up came *******. A scream from Hush, and fast drums from Tango started the song. They covered Sarcastrophe by Slipknot… what are the chances!? They closed their setlist.

Four bands later, up came the pop band that talked to them. Skye and Rubble were really the only ones that were really big for pop… But Marshall was loving it! They covered All About That Bass. As soon as Rocky heard "Cause you know I'm" he bailed.

"Well, see y'all later!"  
Rocky, Chase, Zuma, Tracker, and Everest left the venue. The song was unbearable for them, but it wasn't bad for Skye and Rubble. Marshall absolutely loved it! He tapped his paw to the beat. Such irony, a metal singer that lowered his voice and perfected screaming absolutely enjoys a song like this. Leave it to Marshall. After that song was over, the rest of the pups came back to hear their last song. Their setlist ended, then on came the band that bullied them.

The pups were anxious to hear them. Come to find out, they weren't even a metal band, they were Reggae! The pups laughed as they thought they had competition against them with record labels and fans. Their music wasn't bad, but it wasn't what they expected. They went back out to get food and hang out. Five pounds of food, seven liters of soda, 10 bands, and almost three hours later, it was time for the pups to set up for their show.

It almost five o'clock, and they've been just sitting around all day. Normally they'd be tired, but with the adrenaline going, and each pup almost drinking a liter of soda, they were ready to go! Chase and Rubble had their sets up on a cart, Rocky, Everest, and Zuma had their strings tuned, Skye and Tracker had their gear set up, and Marshall just stood there nervously.  
"Bring it in pups!" Rocky said.  
The pups huddled into a circle.

"This is what we've been waiting for! This is our fate! This could be what makes or breaks us! We're not going to let our three months of rehearsal go to waste, we're not going to let all the torment we've gone through creep back over us! And most of all, we're not going to let Ryder down!"  
The pups howled, motivated by Ryder as well.

"This is our lives! Ryder is watching over us! He's here for us! We've gotta make him proud! Now uh… does anyone have anything to add?"  
"We're going to make it big! We will nevaw accept defeat! We won't let anything stand in ouaw way! We're going to kick ass!" Zuma yelled.  
The pups all howled, motivated, energized, adrenaline shooting hard.

"Now to Ryder, on 3! 1 2 3!"  
"To Ryder!" the pups all yelled.  
At this point, all the bands were in the grandstands.

"Everyone welcome the last band to perform… zpaw Patrol!"

AN: This was originally supposed to be one chapter, but it would've ended up being really long, and if there's one thing I hate, it's reading long chapters, so I don't want to put y'all through that


	9. Battle of the Pups

The pups heard their queue. It was time! Time to hit the stage! Time to do what they love! Time to be united once again! Although Ryder wasn't there, he was with them! They ran out onto the stage, the crowd was roaring! Chase and Rubble led the way, pushing the carts with their sets on it. Right behind them was Rocky, Zuma, and Everest. They hooked their guitars up to the amps, then on ran Skye with her keyboard and Tracker with his turntables.

Marshall hadn't come on yet, his stage fright was overwhelming. Rocky took the mic first.  
"It's good to see everyone here! Thanks for having us! We're the Paw Patrol, and if you haven't figured it out, we're all pups, and the only band with pups!"  
Rocky looked back. Chase and Zuma were motivating Marshall to come onto the stage. Marshall eventually walked onto the stage under his own power, but then saw all the people, got scared, and attempted to back up. Chase and Zuma were both there, and they shoved him to the mic. The crowd was still roaring, but the judges ordered silence. Marshall just wanted to cry.

"Uh… hi… we're the Paw Patrol, um… we have eight members. We have three songs for you today… uh… um… oh yeah the song we're covering is uh… Moskau by um… Rammstein and what we did was um… uh… we uh…"  
Zuma took over the mic for the introduction.

"He's weally neawvous. We'aw covewing Moskau by Wammstein, but in order to make it diffawent, we made an English vawsion. I hope you all enjoy! We love you all! And it's Paw Patwol, the z was a typo."  
Zuma's adrenaline was going, and the last thing he was worried about was making an ass of himself. The judges were looking amongst each other, the crowd having the same thoughts. Did this band of pups really have a chance of winning? How, with his high voice did Marshall plan on making a metal vocal sound? How does a pup that hasn't gotten over his speech impediment going to tear it up with his bass? Each of the three judges was doing a recording of their notes to the band, along with the music in the background.

"Alright, so we have the Paw Patrol, I'm anxious to hear it." "Ok, a band full of pups, let's see how it goes." "I'm confused on all levels how this is going to work. Time for you to impress me."

Skye started them off with a soft melody. Tracker mixed in some sound effects.  
Don't mess up! Sing lower octave! Don't let your brothers and sisters down! You got this! Marshall thought as he had to overcome his anxiety. As he just wanted to explode, his queue to start his serenade had come. Oh! NO!

"After our loss

We needed a light, In our darkened world!

Through the moss

We now rise, as we still uncurl!"

The crowd was now silent. A perfect combination of a soft melody, smooth drums from Rubble, and Marshall's serenade made everyone silent. No one was expecting Marshall's singing voice to be so low. The judges were turned off by one thing.

"It sounds beautiful, but… you're a metal band, and this is your entrance?" "This isn't a very adrenaline pumping entrance."

"Overcome all the fear

It's just life at top tier!  
Don't let this world tear you apart!  
Never leave who you love behind!"

That's when Skye took her keyboard into synthesizer mode, and right when Marshall said behind, she did her synth entrance. The serenade was about a minute or two out of their time on stage. Chase brought in the drums, a smooth tom beat, then Zuma played along.

Marshall stayed at the front of the stage. His hind paws on the ground, his front paws on the stage monitor. He stood with his eyes closed, his stage fright and anxiety at max. He wanted to cry so badly. He felt a few tears drop. He was breathing heavy. He looked ready, the crowd was impressed.

A couple measures later, the guitars started playing a smooth, low and distorted riff. All pups were playing a solid beat. Marshall knew his queue was coming up. He lost it and ran off the stage. The other seven pups saw him run. They all thought they were done.

"Well, it appeared the singer bailed." "Don't know how you plan to do this without a singer." "Uh oh, doubt that was supposed to happen."

Marshall could feel Ryder there. That's exactly what he needed! He knew Ryder was with him. He could also feel another spirit there to help him. He wasn't sure, but he almost knew it was Paul Gray. That's what he needed! That's what turned the anxiety into adrenaline! He ran behind the stage to find access to the raised stage. He found it!

A measure before his queue, he ran onto the raised stage behind the rest of the band. None of the pups knew he was there. They planned to play through until it got boring. At that point, they'd come dead last. The crowd could see Marshall in the very back and roared. None of the pups realized why until they heard his scream on queue.

"AAARGH! GO!"

The pups were so relieved Marshall had came! They played full speed at the 200 BPM with the adrenaline going. Rocky and Everest's guitars roared, while Rubble was almost puncturing heads. Chase, luckily having four paws and his mouth, was able to play double bass and fast hi-hat with each amazing and solid snare hit. Tracker's turntables were screaming while Skye's lightning paws were hitting each key up and down the keyboard.

A measure before Marshall's singing started, he jumped down from the raised stage and almost broke the mic in the process. Luckily it stayed solid. It was time to make history!

"We were almost broke down from it!

Then rebounded from it all

We narrowly dodged the pit!

Our enemies better crawl!"

The crowd was stunned again. The judges were almost speechless.

"That went way different than I thought!" "So full of energy! More energetic than anything we've seen tonight!" "That Dalmatian is crazy!"

"With the Lord we rise!

Help from even the dividers!  
Everyone hears our cries!  
All thanks to The Rider!"

After the second chorus, Rocky and Everest shared a guitar solo, then Tracker and Skye got to show what they're made of. For the bridge, Rubble was able to use his keg drums. Other than that, there was nothing else big for that song. It came to an end. They looked at the timer. Six minutes! They have a 15 minute limit. That leaves them less than 10 minutes with their self titled and Moskau! They were going to cut it close! They were relieved to see that the timer stopped after the song was done. The crowd absolutely roared on!

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Marshall yelled, "Alright, so what we did here was we covered Moskau by Rammstein, then made English lyrics for it. Instead of talking bad about Moscow, it's about the glory of our home town!"  
Skye jumped over her keyboard, grabbed a mic, then stood by Everest. Rocky and Everest didn't need a countdown to start playing simultaneously. All they had to do was make eye contact, and they were able to start together. They started the song, a dual distorted guitar, then in came Skye and Everest once again.

"We're here to tell you about the greatest town in the world! Adventure Bay!" They sang together.

The music started! There was no turntable part for this song, so Tracker took care of the keyboard so Skye could be up front. Everest played Paul's long power chords (Paul Landers from Rammstein, not Paul Gray) and Rocky played Richard's riff. Rubble was happy to be able to play the keg drum along with the snare drum.

"What a beautiful place we live in!  
Everyone's friendly, it's all a win!"

Skye and Everest were pumped up for the chorus. Marshall knew they were and sang louder and tougher on the last two lines of the verse. Then it came!

"(Marshall): Our home town!  
(Skye and Everest): One two three

(Marshall): Hometown!  
(Skye and Everest): Look at me!

Visitors always come and go!

Fun things to do here high and low!"

Everest went back to focusing on the guitar, and Skye jumped around the stage.

"It's our home and you can't change it

We were raised and learned to live!

(Skye and Everest): We learned to love

(Marshall): The lookout stands as we stay with it

And we've given all that we can give

(Skye and Everest): We're the Paw Patrol!"

Marshall lead the girls back the chorus, then the breakdown came. Despite their time crunch, they still did the planned pause to get the crowd pumped up. Marshall waved his paw, signalling for them to roar. They did, then they started playing again.

"BATTLE OF THE BANDS!" Marshall yelled at the absolute top of his lungs without the microphone.

The crowd roared again to the sound of his real unamplified voice. What a success this turned out to be! The bridge came.

"(Marshall): You may not see it, but I surely do!

(Skye and Everest): Sleeping deeply through the night!

(Marshall repeats his line)

(Skye and Everest): Living long and free of strife!

(Marshall repeats his line)

(Skye and Everest): We can expect a long and happy life!

(Marshall): If you can't see now, you'll never be able to!

(All): One Two Three!"

They went back into the chorus united. It was changed up from the first two. Rocky and Everest were playing slightly different notes than before. The song eventually ended. The crowd was impressed, and so were the judges.

"That didn't even seem like a cover!" "You put Rammstein to shame!" "I wouldn't go there, Joe, but it definitely seemed like your song!"  
The pups saw that the clock didn't stop this time. It was time to show everyone officially what they're made of! Chase started with a fairly basic beat. After four measures, Rocky did a guitar slide, signaling the rest of the band to start playing. Rocky and Everest played along, with a united sound, while Chase ruled over the tempo with a badass sounding drum track. Tracker and Rubble didn't have much of a part here, but Zuma and Skye stayed together. It was only about a measure until it was time for Marshall to start singing.

"Facing a death that almost tore us apart

Together as we must depart!

Take the stage as adrenaline fills our hearts!

As a team helping since the start!

We're on a roll… on a roll… ON A ROLL! Is the…"

The crowd and the judges were both stunned by the sound of the chorus. Marshall was more confident than he had ever been.

"Pack it up, get ready to go!

Rebounding we'll rule the show!

It's time to hit the stage!

His death will only turn the page"

For the first four lines, it was Marshall's singing, Chase keeping time, and Zuma and Skye playing identical notes. Then the verse became adrenaline packed when Rocky did a guitar slide, signaling him, Everest, Tracker, and Rubble to all join in. Zuma deviated to a different and harder bass track.

"The crowd waits as we take the stage

Show them how the guitars rage!

All eight of us ready to go!

It's time to take control!"

Despite endless rehearsals and getting sick of having to hear it over and over again, the pups felt like it was their first time hearing it! Up in front of a couple thousand people, knowing all was well, this song fit them! Marshall's powerful vocals gave them another shot of adrenaline. This adrenaline was different, it was victory adrenaline! Nothing had ever felt better to them! Nothing could make them happier! It made Ryder so proud!

"Facing a death that almost tore us apart

Together as we must depart!

Take the stage as adrenaline fills our hearts!

As a team helping since the start!

We're on a roll… on a roll… ON A ROLL! Is the…"

All eight pups had a microphone, and all yelled,

"PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

(Just Marshall): We've fallen now we rise!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

(Just Marshall): Having the time of our lives!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

(Just Marshall): We're family in our eyes!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

(Just Marshall): When it's happiness or die!

Happiness or die!"

The chorus and refrain gave chills to everyone in the venue. Chase did the same beat for the intro, then lead them back into the verse. The crowd roared again for the verse, then the pups were able to silence them with the chorus and refrain again. Right after the refrain, came a guitar solo. Actually a duo because Rocky and Everest played together. Rocky played the chorus riff while Everest played what would normally be Marshall's vocal notes.

It deviated into a breakdown. It was just Chase and Zuma playing a simple backing track, then Skye added in a synth track.

"Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!" Marshall sang.

Rocky and Tracker were supposed to play the notes for "We've fallen now we rise," but instead, the crowd caught on.

"We've fallen now we rise!" The crowd sang.

The crowd singing absolutely shocked all the pups. Marshall was in complete shock, but he sang on.

"(Marshall): Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

(Crowd): Having the time of our lives!

(Marshall): Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

(Crowd): We're family in our eyes!

(Marshall): Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

(Crowd): When it's happiness or die!

Happiness or die!"

The music stopped. Rubble brought out his marching snare. The drum harness had been custom built for Rubble, so it had wheels, allowing Rubble to be able to walk with his front paws playing and his hind paws on the ground. His solo lasted four measures before Chase played his chorus track. Four bars after that, Tracker added his turntables, the there was a large crescendo that lead to the final chorus.

The crowd said sang Marshall's part for him. The pups got to the final refrain. They had planned on doing an epic outro, but looking at the timer, they had 30 seconds, which was not enough time. The song ended at 14:43. Zuma didn't see the time, so he went crazy, not knowing the band had stopped. It worked out, because he was the only one that never got to show off.

He shredded the bass, as he realized no one else was playing. He looked at the timer and realized why. 14:48… 14:49… Zuma found a way to end it right at 15:00. The crowd stood silent as the pups finished. They were silent, oh God, did they do something wrong? The pups all lined up at the front of the stage, then the crowd absolutely roared.

The pups couldn't believe the success it had turned out to be. Marshall saluted the crowd, Skye blew kisses, and the rest of the pups either bowed or stood victoriously. It seemed like forever as the crowd roared and they stood stood soaked in victory. The event staff had to intervene.

"I'm afraid you have to leave the stage, your setlist is over and we have to prepare the stage for awards."

The pups complied and packed up their gear. They put it all into the Patroller, having time before the award ceremony. Going back into the venue, they saw Mayor Humdinger backstage.

"Hey Mayor Humdinger! What are you doing all the way out here?" Chase asked.

"Well, I was wondering… If maybe… I could be the first person ever to get your autographs."

The pups all looked amongst each other, and approved.

"I think we might be able to do that," Marshall offered.

A cameraman came in and took a picture of the pups with Mayor Humdinger, printed out a full sized picture, and the pups were all able to at least attempt to autograph the picture.

"Thanks pups! Oh and good luck with the band! I hope you make it big!"

"Thanks Mayor Humdinger! We'll see you around!"

The pups walked to the grandstands as the award ceremony started.


	10. Awards

After about 10 minutes of the pups waiting anxiously the awards finally were underway.

"Battle of the Bands 2016!" the guy who would announce the awards said to pump up the crowd.

The crowd, including the pups roared. The venue was filled with anxiety. Obviously the bands more than the rest of the crowd.

"Welcome everybody, and thank you for being here! A special thanks to all the bands that performed today, and all of those who bought tickets to come here! Your contributions are much appreciated! I'm your host, Gruhamed! We had 33 bands sign up, but only 32 were able to make it."  
Gruhamed was the same guy that got called the bands onto the stage.

"Of our 32 bands, we had eight pop bands, seven metal bands, five rock bands, four hip hop groups, three country bands, two RnB bands, a Reggae band, and two that did not identify with a certain type of music. We have awards for not just the best show, but also the best pyrotechnics, and most diverse sound. There will be a first, second and third place for overall winners.

On top of performance awards, we will also have instrument awards, from guitar, to drums, to vocals to bass. Thanks to our three judges, Mike, Joe, and Ja'Quando, we were able to get the results for all of our awards."  
The three judges stood up and bowed. Gruhamed got the paper for the results.

"Alright, we'll start with best pyrotechnics. Runner up is Evacuating El Paso, come on up!"  
There were screams of celebration behind the pups. Evacuating El Paso, who emigrated from El Paso took the stage to claim their trophy.

"For the best Pyrotechnics, the winner is Clipping Compton! Congrats! Wow there's a lot of band names with cities in them."

Clipping Compton, hip hop group that's never stepped foot in Compton claimed their trophy and got pictures taken by the camera crew.

"There's your pyrotechnics winners folks. Next up, the best mixers, or in other words turntable players."

Tracker got excited for this, having a chance at getting a solo award.

"For runner up best turntables, Tracker from the Paw Patrol!"

"Oh hell yeah!"

The pups celebrated for Tracker, as he went up and grabbed his trophy. He got onto the stage, waved to the crowd and held his trophy high. Suddenly being a jungle pup wasn't so entertaining.

"And winner for the best turntables is DJ Mac Diesel from RampageEmu!"

DJ Mac Diesel came up and grabbed his trophy. Tracker congratulated him, but he didn't get one in return. Tracker sat down and let the pups observe his trophy.

"Next up, we have most diverse sounding band!"

Despite having eight members, the Paw Patrol wasn't called up.

"Next up, we have largest vocal range. Runner up is Matt Kruspe from Mas Alta!"

Matt Kruspe walked to the stage with pride

"For largest vocal range, we have Marshall from the Paw Patrol!"

Marshall couldn't believe it! He was the first, deservingly, to get a first place trophy, of all the pups! He ran up, just as, if not, more honored than Tracker. He realized a problem as he walked onto the stage… His stage fright. He had to avoid looking at the crowd and showing his stage fright. By doing that, he ran, jumped into Gruhamed's arms, and licked him repeatedly.

"Aw! You're sweet! But you uh… Wanna take your trophy?"

Marshall jumped out of Gruhamed's arms and grabbed the trophy on the way down. He held it high and looked towards the crowd, then froze. Gruhamed had to help him go off the stage.

"Poor pup's got major stage fright. Up next we have best vocal scream!"

Hush from ******* got won that. A few awards came up that were either irrelevant to the pups' style of music, or they didn't win. Up came fastest drummer, and Tango from ******* won that. Most technical drummer came after that.

"For most technical drummer, Rubble from the Paw Patrol!"

Rubble went up and cheerfully grabbed the trophy. Chase was kinda bummed he wasn't called up, but he did play with a series of pedals rather than his paws.

"Next up, we have my favorite, keyboard and synth! For runner up best keyboard and synth, we have Skye from the Paw Patrol!"  
Skye ran up to get her trophy, happier than ever! She wasn't the best according to the judges, but she was great! After the winner was called, up came bass.

"For runner up for bass we have… Zuma from Paw Patrol… You're on here twice. Does suddenly all the other bassists that played today not matter?"

Zuma ran onto the stage, actually not wanting two trophies. He'd feel bad taking both.

"Alright, we got this sorted."

Zuma still won and another bassist got runner up. He held his trophy high and didn't want to leave the stage, but Gruhamed carried him off.

"Next we have the guitarist awards! This one's always the hardest! Runner up we have Jim Thompson from the black metal band Rainbow Hedge."

Jim Thompson from a band whose name doesn't fit the music went up and grabbed his trophy. Rocky and Everest looked at each other. If one of them wasn't called the first time, then they're either going to be called together, or not at all.

"For the best guitarist, we have Everest from the Paw Patrol! Way to go!"

Everest jumped up excited and headed towards the stage, but then she stopped in her tracks when she realized Rocky wasn't called as well. Rocky was saddened by the fact he wasn't recognized. He was happy for Everest though. She looked back, but Rocky gestured approvingly for her to continue to the stage. She walked on with a fake smile. Her lack of enthusiasm was obvious.

"Look over here for the picture," the cameraman said.

Everest held the trophy low and had a very fake unenthusiastic smile. Once the picture was done she walked of the stage. She took a good look at the trophy and just sighed. At least it wasn't custom engraved, so she could share it with Rocky. It wasn't the same, she couldn't enjoy it. She sat down, Rocky clearly upset that he didn't get called up.

"Good job Everest!"

Everest handed Rocky the trophy.

"It's ours to share. I couldn't have done it without you."

Rocky was really touched by Everest thinking of him.

"Thanks Everest! I don't know what to say… I uh…"

"No need to thank me. You would've done the same for me. Actually… You know what?"

Everest grabbed Rocky and pulled him with her to the stage as Gruhamed was announcing the next reward.

"Can I retake the picture? I don't feel right having the picture without Rocky."

"Yeah, of course!"

The cameraman retook a picture. This time with a real smile from Everest and the two of them holding the trophy together. They sat down happily. Rocky was starting to have a new feeling towards Everest that he'd never had before. It was the same feeling Zuma had towards Marshall at the concert. He didn't understand it.

A few awards later, the award came. The award every band was waiting for. It was the award that'll determine the success of the Paw Patrol. It'll determine whether or not they get a record, or at least get recognized.

"Every band today did amazing! This has been one of the most successful and diverse Battle of Bands we have seen, and thank you all for coming! It was definitely a hard choice this year, but we have three podium finishes and three honorable mentions."  
The pups' anxiety started going again.

"This year's Battle of the Band's bronze third place winner, welcome to the stage the hip hop group Hood Prodigy!"  
There were yells of celebration behind the pups. It was an all black rap group, actually from the hood… for once in years. They went up, and got a large bronze trophy for all four members to split. They got their pictures taken and got a place on the podium. The pups remembered this as the rap group they walked into the venue hearing.

"Good work guys! Congratulations! Alright, for the runner up spot, silver winner, give it up for the metal band *******!"  
The pups roared happy that ******* had won! It was them that comforted the pups when the guys from the Reggae group had came and bullied them. It was them that helped motivate the pups. ******* members Tango, Hush, TwoShanezzz, Riku, Silent Cacophony, and Shy all took the stage to collect the runner up trophy, so glad they won. They got their pictures taken and got their spot on the second highest pillar of the podium.

"Before we say this year's winner, we want to recognize three honorable mentions! Country band Boondock Brawlers congratulations!"  
Boondock Brawlers took the stage.

"Pop band Two Horned Unicorn come on up!"  
Gruhamed cringed at this band. The pups realized it was the same band that came up to them at the Patroller.

"And for our last honorable mention, Reggae band Fünf Quattro!"

The pups cringed at that band. That was the… other band that went up to them. They looked in the Paw Patrol's direction, but they didn't give a taunting look yet. Not until the first place winner is decided.

"Now, this is the moment we've all been waiting for! For the remaining bands, it's all or nothing! Top spot in the Battle, record deals fame, and fortune is imminent! Please give a drum roll!  
The venue filled with banging sounds coming from the crowd.

"This year's 2016 Battle of the Bands winner, gold medal, top podium finalist is the Paw Patrol!"  
There were large bangs coming from fireworks, and confetti flying from the stage. The pups and the crowd both roared! The pups jumped around bumping each other, hugging each other, then took off running towards the stage. They did it! They won! They're going big! They made Ryder proud! All eight pups ran onto the stage, yelling and celebrating, the crowd satisfied with the results!

"Congratulations Paw Patrol! You won one of the most notorious music championships of all time!"  
Gruhamed handed them the trophy. Marshall grabbed it and clung to it.

"We did it! I can't believe it!" Marshall cried.

The pups all surrounded the trophy, touching it, licking it, showing it any kind of affection.

"I knew we'd do it! We'aw the Paw Patwol!" Zuma yelled.  
While the pups were celebrating, Gruhamed got bad news from the judges. News he didn't want to announce, but it's his job as a music analyst, and as a Loudwire spokesman.  
"Pups… hey pups! Can I have your attention!"  
The pups all put their attention on Gruhamed.

"I just received word from the judges that your Moskau cover was illegible. I'm afraid with an illegible cover, it disqualifies you from the winnings."  
There was a big downroar from the crowd. The pups were now in shock. There's no way it just slipped away from them like that! There's no way this could happen! The crowd started booing. The pups emotions started to overcome them. They failed Ryder! Maybe their doom was imminent. All this was for nothing. Now they had a crowd booing at them. Or so they thought, until they all started shouting Paw Patrol! Gruhamed had to take the trophy from the pups, but Marshall wasn't going to give it up. Gruhamed did not have the heart to take it.

"No! Please!" Marshall pleaded.  
"I can't just take it away!" Gruhamed said.  
"No but I can!"  
A member from the Reggae band the bullied the Paw Patrol snatched the trophy from Marshall. Marshall still clung to it, so the guy threw Marshall of by his neck. That sight made Chase want to kill him! But he held back. The guy from the band gave the trophy to Gruhamed, the crowd still booing.

"Alright, so because of the disqualification, there's been a little podium mix up. Hood Prodigy is now runner up, and ******* is the the Battle of the Bands winners! Taking bronze is Fünf Quattro!"  
If things weren't bad enough, now the band that bullied them got the fame.

"You mad, bro!?" they taunted the pups.

Chase was about ready to attack, but Rocky held him back. The rest of the pups either broke down, or just sat in disbelief and disgust.

"******* you won! How are you feeling!? You get record deals! You get fame! And you get to do an encore!" Gruhamed asked.

Tango was holding the trophy, which had the pups' slobber all over it.

"I'm feeling great, but… it doesn't feel right," Hush said, "I feel like we just robbed those pups."  
"Is there any way to give the pups the win back?" Tango asked.  
"Well, you could surrender your position. You'd lose it all though."

******* really wanted the win, but they felt so bad for the pups.

"We'll split it! Get up here pups!"

The pups couldn't believe these guys were willing to share their win with them! They wouldn't be able to thank them enough! They all climbed onto the podium with *******. It was way too crowded for six dudes and eight pups. Each member picked up a pup, some picked up two. Tango and Rocky and Zuma. The crowd was silent. They couldn't believe what ******* did for the pups!

"What are you gonna do with the trophy?" Gruhamed asked.  
They didn't expect Hood Prodigy to give up their hard earned trophy, and Fünf Quattro was going to do what they could to keep theirs out of the paws of the pups. Hush was not going to let this go down like this. Time to do what he does best! Roast and preach the truth! That's what he did to Fünf Quattro! He made sure the crowd knew what happened at the Patroller! He made sure the judges would make the right call! And they did! They revoked their position, and disqualified them! ******* willingly grabbed the third place trophy and stood third on the podium, not asking Hood Prodigy to have to keep going back and forth. The crowd was roaring!  
"Here you have it! The results of Battle of the Bands 2016!"  
"You mad, bro!?" Chase taunted.

The tables turned again! What a crazy night!  
"By the way, we still want the encore!" Hush claimed.

"It's all youws!" Zuma said.

After a bit of celebration, and *******'s encore, it was time to pack into the Patroller and go home! What a success the night was! It was a three hour drive home. Robodog had a full charge, so it won't be a problem. The pups slept on the way home, all of them having trophies to sleep by. They just hoped the best for *******.

AN: Dream of Hell: I can make alternate chapters, or even an alternate story where that happens. I already have the storyline for this particular story planned out.


	11. Roadrunner

The next day, the pups woke up in the Patroller. Robodog never woke them up once they had gotten home.

"We did it, pups! We won!" Zuma said, wake all the other pups up.  
"We sure did! We still got a lot of work to do and a long way to go until we get big though," Chase encouraged.  
"Looks like it's time to record!" Rocky motivated.

The pups first carried in their trophies with pride. Since all the pups got a solo trophy but Chase, and technically Rocky, but Everest was sharing, he got to carry in the band's trophy. They set them all down next to the TV. The band's trophy was as tall as Rocky, Zuma, and Rubble standing on top of each other.

"Now we need a trophy case," Skye said.

"Hell yeah we do!" Tracker agreed.

The pups took their instruments out of the Patroller, then set up. It was time to make some demo recordings! The problem was… they had no recording gear. Time to go back to the music store! They packed into the Patroller and headed to Adventure Bay Music. The same salesmen that were there last time came up to them again.

"I heard you won Battle of the Bands! How did it go?"  
"It was amazing! We took home seven trophies!" Marshall bragged.

"That's amazing! Are you looking for recording equipment now?"  
"Yup! We need to get ouaw music out theaw!" Zuma said.  
"Right this way, we'll show you what's best to buy!"  
The salesmen took showed them some recording equipment. An hour of debate and $1,800 later, the pups got enough equipment for the eight of them to record together. They got directional recording microphones so another pups' instrument wouldn't get in the sound of the instrument that it was supposed to be recording. They had to get 16 of the microphones for Chase alone, a module for those 16 microphones, seven more for Rubble, a module for his seven, then six for the rest of the band. This was all hooked up to a server, and controlled through a tablet that Marshall had.

"This is going to be so exciting!"  
"What song should we do first?"

The pups decided pretty much unanimously to have their first recorded song be The Rider. They wanted to record, but instead they just messed around and didn't get much done.

"Man, last night was so fun!" Chase said.

"It was nothing like we'd ever done before!"

"It was so different from the talent show!"

"I can't believe I almost bailed! That would've been the biggest mistake of my life! I had so much fun, it was so priceless, nothing would've been able to compare to that!" Marshall reminisced.

The pups had their lives set now. Their performance was life changing. Words really couldn't describe how it felt, what it was like, how close it brought the eight of them. The rushing adrenaline, feeling like a complete badass, delivering the sound to thousands of people, knowing those thousands of people have all their attention on you. Even across the eight of them, the experience was way different for Marshall than it was for Chase, but it was very similar for Rocky and Everest.

"You seriously had us worried!" Rocky said.  
"I could feel Ryder there. I knew it was him. It was what motivated me to come back, and with a bigger entrance."  
The pups reminisced more about their performance, then just started playing random things. Eventually Marshall got bored.

"Hey Chase, can I try your set?"  
"Yeah, go ahead!"  
Marshall put on Rubble's gloves, grabbed some drumsticks, and pounded away, bypassing the pedals.

"You sound like Donald Trump." Marshall sang.

The pups laughed. Rocky aimed a mic at Marshall. Even being a couple feet away, it could pick up Marshall's voice because it was a directional mic.

"Shoot me and dump me into a truck!

You'll send me to Mexico, then you'll build your stupid wall!

You'll build your stupid wall!  
And then we'll play, and it will fall.

Then we'll destroy Hillary Clinton!

With a simple mitten! There are too much politics  
But I really don't care, because I live in Canada.

The sin comes strong within because SATAN! SATAN! SAAATAAAN!"

Marshall didn't want to add to the stereotype that metal is satanic, but you should never avoid stereotypes to have fun. Plus the pups were all some form of Christian, so even if someone tried to say they're satanic, they're not.

"Satan is real! SATAN IS REAL!

I can feel the horns growing out of my head!

The horns growing out of my tail!

The spikes! The spikes! Just like…  
SLIPKNOT! SLIPKNOT! ANNIVERSARY!

Calling back on me! Calling Judas, Brutus,

And Black Ops 2! Zombies! Nacht der Toten!

Alcatraz! No!

III! Aaaam! Juuust! Aaaa! Puuup!"

The other seven pups were on the floor, busting their guts from laughing so hard. They were laughing until they were crying. It didn't help when Marshall went absolutely crazy on the set and started screaming nonsense. When Marshall was done going crazy, he got his breath, the pups crying from laughter. He started making a beat and singing again.  
"No! Please!" Everest begged.

"Excuse me, but I must say

Satan is here today

God please help us all

Because Satan is here, today!"

Marshall just kept going crazy, then out of nowhere, stopped.

"Rocky!"  
"What?"  
Marshall just stared awkwardly at Rocky.  
"What's wrong with you?"  
Marshall started screaming and going insane again. Eventually, he finally stopped, hot and completely out of breath.

"Ow… I don't know what happened. Must've fell asleep."

"I recorded that!" Rocky said.

Marshall ran, grabbed a microphone and lyric sheet and casually started rehearsing his part. That was funny to the pups. Marshall just kept finding a way to add pain to the pups' guts and tears of laugher to their eyes.

"Let's get serious, let's try to get three songs recorded," Rocky was determined.

The pups got behind their instruments. It was hard to get serious without the crowd. Even with the months of practice, it wasn't going to be the same now that they played in front of that kind of crowd. The started jamming randomly, and accidentally made a really cool, sinister sounding song. Marshall didn't have any lyrics, and he can't freestyle serious lyrics, so he just sat back and listened to music the pups created.

Double bass from Chase, downtuned and distorted guitar from Rocky, and screeching guitar from Everest, Zuma's bass going crazy, Rubble hitting the steel and keg drums, then Skye's synthesizer track, along with some mixing from Tracker every now and then. It sounded really good! He was glad he started recording. With just playing random things, he was impressed with how well they stayed together. Eventually, they got to a chaotic ending, but it matched the character of the song.  
"The Lookout's Anthem!" Marshall named.

The pups were confused.

"I recorded that. That sounded amazing! That's what that song's going to be called!"  
The pups were enthusiastic. But Marshall, had to intervene to get them to play The Rider.  
"Skye, Tracker, do your thing with The Rider!"  
Skye went to do her keyboard track, but she didn't start in time. She played again, but Tracker messed up. After a few more attempts, Marshall got to his serenade.

"After our loss

We needed a…"

Rocky was making stupid faces at Marshall, and he started laughing.  
"Hey, don't do that! I'm trying to sing!"  
After a few more attempts, Marshall made it through his serenade. Zuma and Chase got to their duo. Problem was, Zuma's amp wasn't on.

"Hey, your amp's not on! You can't play without an amp!" Marshall gave Zuma hell.  
"Hey, I just turned it on, it's…"  
"No! Go die Zuma!"

Marshall and Zuma seemed to be getting closer and closer. After about an hour, they finally got the song perfected. It took an hour to perfect a six minute song. They worked on their own version of Moskau, which they would call Home Town. It also took about an hour for that. Not only were the pups just simply not in the performance mood, but they also wanted it to sound perfect.

They worked on their self titled for a little bit. That's when Marshall got a call. Not a call… THE call. Well, it wasn't Marshall's phone, it was Ryder's old pup pad. It would be what they used for the band. Marshall answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Mick Hunt from Roadrunner Records, and I was at your performance at Battle of the Bands last night. I was wondering if you were interested in a record deal."  
"If you're a telemarker, I don't want anything you're selling."

"I'm not a telemarketer. In fact, I wanna buy from you!"  
"You wanna buy from us? We're not selling anything."  
Chase intervened, "Who is that?"  
"Some guy from Roadrunner Records."  
"Marshall you idiot! Put it on speaker!" Rocky yelled.

Marshall put it on speaker, then set the pup pad down.

"Yes we'aw intewested!" Zuma said immediately.

"Really? Great! You live in Canada, right? We have an offices in Seattle and Vancouver, which ever works best for you, we can sign a contract and get you in a studio by the end of the month."

The pups were stunned! A record deal just like that! A day after they performed!  
"Uh… Um… yeah! That… that's amazing… that… that'd work!" Rocky agreed.

"Seattle or Vancouver?"  
"Sea… Vanvou… uh… which uh… fuckin… Vancouver!"  
The pups looked over at Rocky, who stunned himself. They've never heard him say that word! The one time he ever said it, it was when they should probably be the most formal and respectful. He just stepped away from the phone, then started laughing. They were relieved to hear the Roadrunner representative didn't care. He probably thought nothing of it.

"Great! It's Monday the 13th now, how does the Wednesday the 15th sound?"  
The pups, silenced, all looked across each other. In the studio after Christmas, get their album done by March, tour by May!

"That's amazing! That… deal!"  
"Great! I will see you Wednesday!"  
After the Roadrunner representative hung up, that pups all yelled and celebrated and jumped around like they did when they won Battle of the Bands!  
"We did it! We're going big!" "Roadrunner is Slipknot's label!" "We're going worldwide!" "I love you all!"  
They continued recording their demos, becuase they figured it'd help out with the actual recording. In just two days, their lives had turned around completely! Ryder was helping them! He was making sure they're successful! God was on their side! The torment they went through, Ryder's death, this was redemption! They've made it this far, now it's time to go all the way! Time for the fame and fortune! Time to kick ass!

AN: Rest In Peace Jerry Heller, former manager of NWA. He died yesterday after suffering a health complication while driving. The health complication caused a fatal accidence.


	12. MZRRCSET

Two days later, it was time to go to Vancouver to sign the contract to officially be one of the legendary bands signed with Roadrunner. Slipknot and Trivium, two of the bands they saw, as well as Korn, Dream Theater, Testament, and Killswitch Engage are all bands signed with them. They all packed into the Patroller for the hour drive to Vancouver. They need to get an eight seater SUV, the Patroller was to big for an everyday driver.

"This is going to be amazing! I can't believe we're going to sign the same record label as Slipknot!" Rocky bragged.

"I just hope we don't become sellouts," Zuma said.

"We'll never be sellouts! We're doing this as a team of pups! A motley not blood related family!" Chase convinced.

The pups howled to that. It seemed like such a long driving. With the anxiety, it did not seem like an hour, but they slowly but surely got there. There was no way they were going to be able to drive the Patroller through Vancouver. And even if they could, they wouldn't find anywhere to park it.

"Looks like we need a taxi," Marshall said.

Marshall called for a cab.

"We need a smaller vehicle that can carry all eight of us."

Soon, a Toyota Sienna pulled up to take the pups from a truck stop just outside the city to the Roadrunner Records office. They all got out, and was immediately greeted by a representative.

"You must be the Paw Patrol! It's so good to see you and meet you in person! I'm Terry Williamson!"

"It's an honor to be able to sign with this company!" Zuma greeted.

"It's an honor to have you aboard! What are your names?"

The pups introduced themselves as they walked into the building. There were all sorts of records hanging on the walls, posters of various bands that are signed with Roadrunner, and all sorts of guitars and drum sticks. They were brought to a reception area.

"Wait here while we tell our representative you're ready to sign."

The pups sat on the soft chairs while they were given high class water. How certain water can be so superior over traditional bottled water is unknown, but at least it had watermelon and cucumber in it. Once again, the wait was killing them, but this time, they had to stay quiet and formal. The representative finally came out.

"Hey Paw Patrol pups, I'm ready for you!"  
The pups all looked across each other, it was awkward, and they weren't sure who should go first. Finally, Zuma got up, and the rest followed in an orderly fashion. They were more organized than they've been in a long time. They were worried not being formal could blow their chances, when really, it was certain they're getting the contract unless they smash the place. They got to a room, likely the representative's office.

"To refresh your memory, I'm Mick Hunt, and I was one of the representatives that attended Battle of the Bands."

"I didn't see you there, but I couldn't really see past the blur of the stage lights," Rocky said.

"The adrenaline doesn't help. I could tell your adrenaline was going. You all were so energetic, so free, so confident!"

"Glad you enjoyed it," Zuma accepted the compliment.

"Just so unique. You see a team of pups take the stage, you don't know what to expect. Pups playing guitars using tools from backpacks, two drummers, then the singer run off the stage and come back with an epic entrance, this is talent too good to pass up! That's why I wanna sign you!"

The pups couldn't believe the guy signing them complimented them the way he did.

"They say never take unnecessary risks, but people are gonna love you! Anyway, shut up, and take a look at this!"

Mick slammed down a contract that was ready to put the pups in the studio!

"No way!" "Oh look at that!" "Does this mean free food?"

"I'll let you pups read the contract, and we can make any kind of negotiations."

The pups, mainly Chase read through the contract. After a little bit of negotiations, the final contract was made, it was time to sign! Problem was, the pups didn't know who should sign it… Or how it was going to get signed.

"Who wants to sign it?" Mick asked.

The pups looked amongst each other, wanting to leave the honor open.

"That's another reason I liked like this band. I can tell you all are really close. But… Can you have someone sign it?"

Marshall decided to step forward. He tried to grip the pen, but it fell. He tried to grip it again, but his paw wouldn't allow him to grasp it. He tried two paws, but it flew out.

"Uh… I swear dysfunctionality isn't an everyday thing."

Marshall really lied there. He finally figured out he can sign it with his mouth. He didn't want to put just his name, so he put the initial of every pup. He ended up signing MZRRCSET. But not that neat.

"Our time off for Christmas starts on the 20th, but it'll give you time to get your instruments to the recording studio and get your album planned," Mick said.

The pups were happy to be able to make it to the studio before Christmas. It was a done deal! Now they had to catch a cab to get back to the Patroller. They had to pay and wait the extra just to be able to get to the office and back.  
"We really need to get an SUV or something," Chase said.

"If we'aw going to come heaw on a wegulawr basis, we can't keep taking taxis," Zuma added.  
"I'll look into it," Rocky said.

Once the pups got back to the lookout, it was time for Rocky and Everest's first lemon! They went to Adventure Bay's used car dealership. Or as we cars guys like to call it, the lemon lot.

"We don't have much of a budget, especially after we blew almost five grand on music stuff," Everest said.

"I know we're on a budget, but I'll find the right one. It'll be our first used car," Rocky was confident.  
There was quite a bit of a selection of used cars. There were sports cars, sedans, trucks, crossovers, and SUVs. Rocky and Everest found the full sized SUVs.

"What can I help you with today?" a salesman asked.  
"We're looking for an eight seater. There's eight of us, and we have a giant truck, which won't fit in the city. We need something smaller," Rocky answered.

"That won't be a problem. We have plenty of SUVs here. What's your budget?"  
"We don't know," Everest said.

"Alright, well, all our SUVs are in these two rows. Feel free to look."  
Rocky and Everest looked at the SUVs… and the price tags… it was going to be hard to find the right one for the right price. There was a 2004 Suburban for $6,000… might be a little too much. There was a 2006 Armada for $10,000… once again, a little much. They found a 2001 Expedition for $4,000, they considered it.

"What are we going to get? Everything is really expensive!" Everest asked.  
"I don't know but…"  
"What?"  
Rocky was silenced. He saw it. A 1990 Suburban, shiny jet black on 35s for only $2,000! He slowly approached it.  
"You're such a redneck!" Everest mocked.

"It's… it's beatiful! The bullbar! The winch! The LED light bar!"  
"Wanna take it for a test drive?" the salesman asked.  
"Do I!?"  
The salesman grabbed the keys, then Rocky jumped into the driver's seat.

"Can you see yourself driving this vehicle?" the salesman asked.

"Guess why I almost has a heart attack when I saw this thing!"

"Can you see your friends enjoying this vehicle as well?" Everest asked.

"It's temporary… For them."

"Your girlfriend doesn't seem to approve, wanna hurry and make the move?"

Rocky and Everest looked at each other. Why does everyone think they're dating? What does he mean "make the move?"

"Make what move?" Rocky asked.

"To buy the vehicle. I just needed to rhyme."

Rocky just stared at Everest, "I'll make the move."

Now Everest felt like Rocky was being sketchy. Rocky took the Suburban for a test drive. He gunned it, tested the capabilities, and listen for any problems. He was satistfied and drove back to the lot. The three of them walked into the car dealership. A random guy walked in.

"It's nothing but lemons here."

Rocky and Everest thought that was some weird euphemism. Which it kind of is.

"I thought these were cars," Rocky said.

"Lemon is slang for a junker car."

Rocky looked at Everest again, "This'll be our first Iemon!"

"I guess so… it'll be the Paw Patrol's."

"Will one or both or you be signing for this vehicle?" the salesman asked.

"Well, we have more people that want to sign," Rocky said.

"I'm afraid only two of you can sign to this vehicle."

"It'll be the two of us then," Everest said.

The salesman winked at Rocky. They signed the deed to the Suburban, then quickly walked out. It was their first lemon. Rocky drove happily back to the pups.

"Got an eight seater!" Rocky announced.

"So you got the most redneck vehicle you could find," Chase commented.

"It'll get us to Vancouver and back on a regular basis, right?" Skye asked.

"It's as good as new!"

The rest of the pups were fairly skeptical, but as long as it got the job done.

AN: I'm taking a trip for a little while to get away from California. I'm in the south, and helping on my Grandpa's farm, so I'll be slow post, but I will when I can


	13. Recording

The next day, the pups took the Patroller to Vancouver. They had to take their instruments, and there was a designated truck area for the studio, so it wasn't much of a hassle for the pups.

"It's good to see you pups want get into the studio! Let's see how many songs you can record in four days!" Mick said.

Mick lead the pups to the studio. There were many different rooms, some meant for particular instruments, and others meant for the full band.

"Alright pups, first step to recording is making a rough track, also known as a demo. You discover what you want the song to sound like, then you play it together. You listen to it, if you like it, then you record the album version individually while listening to it. If you don't you keep working on it. That's simple enough, right?"

The pups had no idea the album version of the songs was recorded individually by instrument.

"We already have four demos we're satisfied with," Rocky said.

"Really? Let's not waste any more time! Marshall, go on into the mic room, the rest of you, set up in the designated rooms. Time to record!"

Rocky and Everest set up in the same room, but Zuma, Skye, and Tracker set up in different rooms. There was debate, but Chase and Rubble set up in separate rooms. It was time for Marshall to record. He listened to the demos. Only three of the four demos he needed to record.

"We're recording. Ready when you are!"

Marshall played the demo through his headphones, but he couldn't sing.

"Something wrong Marshall?"

"Stage fright…"

"You're not on a stage though!"

"Are you able to leave the room? I can't sing alone knowing people are listening."

"Well we kinda have to man the equipment. Otherwise, you'll be singing for nothing. Try closing your eyes."

It didn't work for Marshall. Rocky and Zuma ended up coming in by Marshall's side, which helped a lot. Marshall was finally able to sing his serenade.

"After our loss

We needed a…

Woah wrong octave!"

Marshall sang at his high octave rather than the one he was supposed to sing in.

"Hey Mawshall, sing the wight pitch!" Zuma mocked.

"Prove that you can sing better!"

"Don't need to! I know how to play an instwument!"

"And I love you for it!"

The room suddenly filled with silence. That was awkward. Marshall couldn't believe he said that. Zuma was blushing to point where he couldn't talk. Rocky's laugh was what broke the silence.

"From the top…" Marshall said.

The recording equipment started going, then the demo started playing.

Alright, to Ryder! Marshall thought. As he went into focus mode, he allowed his other thoughts to take over. And to impress Zuma, Marshall let his mind slip. Woah what!? No… Or… No!... With the war in his head, he missed his queue.

"Don't worry! I'm with you!" Rocky comforted.

"I know you are," Marshall put emphasis on "you" as if Zuma was no help.

"Is it Wyder?" Zuma asked.

"No!... Maybe… I don't know. I… I gotta pray and talk to him. You can do your own thing."

Rocky and Zuma were concerned, and the producers were annoyed. The

producers went to other instrument studios while Rocky and Zuma went to their own.

"Mawshall just fell apawrt. I feel like it was my fault."

"He was the one that said he loved you, it was kinda his fault."

"Yeah but… I don't know… Don't tell the othaw pups, ok?"

"I promise."

Rocky walked in with Everest, then Zuma walked into his own bass studio. Meanwhile, Chase had already gotten The Rider and Hometown done. He was working on the self titled song. Tracker was in the producer's room, and he listened to the demo and Chase drum track at the same time.

"Hey, when he starts the drums at the beginning, before the second verse, and when he and Zuma have a duo, we should distort it, and during live shows, I can have control over it with my turntables."

The producers liked the idea. They told Chase about it when the recording was done.

"That sounded great! How would you feel if we distorted the drums in the intro, before the second verse, and during yours and Zuma's duo?"

Chase liked that idea, "Yeah, do it, the show me how it sounds! Ready for The Lookout's Anthem?"

"Recording now."

Rocky and Everest were ready to record The Rider. A producer tried to count them down so they could start together. Instead they started on different measures. They laughed and tried again. The producer counting them down did them no good.

"Hey, we'll do our own thing, just start recording," Rocky said.

"Got it, recording now."

Rocky and Everest made eye contact. With their eye communication, they were able to start on time and together. The producers fast forwarded the song on their headphones to where they were at. Skye was having fun recording the keyboard tracks, but Rubble was getting frustrated because the producers weren't satisfied with the percussion tracks he was creating.

"That wasn't on time Rubble! Do you need a metronome?"

"That was too on time! I'm not recording this again!"

"You must not want percussion in the song."

"Play my recording with the demo! I'll bet on this band that it was in time!"

"Just record again!"

"Fine!"

Rubble did an almost flawless recording, but the producers weren't satisfied once again.

"Record that again, the hit at measure three beat two was a little flimsy."

"Where are those free liver sausages!? I need a break!"

Zuma eventually forgot about Marshall, then kicked ass in the studio. Marshall had just finished praying and talking to Ryder. It wasn't much help, but it was relieving and comforting.

"You ready Marshall?" a producer asked.

"Can we get Zuma back in here? I just need him and I'll be ready."

"He's recording right now, once he's done, we can see if he wants to come in."

Oh I hope he does, Marshall thought.

Chase was already done recording his songs. He was able to do all the songs in one pass, and now Tracker took the studio and recorded his turntables. When Zuma got done recording The Rider, one of Marshall's producers came in.

"Hey Zuma, Marshall wants to know if you want to go into his studio and stand by his side while he sings. He's having a hard time singing without any pups."

"I'm wecoawding! Can't Wocky go in theaw?"

"He's recording too."

"I guess I can stand by Mawshall."

Zuma put his bass down and went into the studio with Marshall. With Zuma being there, he felt a lot more confident and comfortable. Ever since the pups decided to form the band, he felt like Zuma was in Ryder's place when it comes to physically being able to comfort him.

"Weady to sing youaw heawt out, Mawshall?"

"I sure am! Start recording!"

The demo played through Marshall's headphones. Chase, Skye and, Everest, and Rubble walked in. Tracker was still recording. Eventually Marshall's queue came and he went in strong.

"After our loss

We needed a light in a darkened world."

Marshall's serenade was as powerful as it was at Battle of the Bands. His range was impressive, and he had such a variety of styles. He is a metal singer that enjoys All About That Bass after all.

"AAAARRRGH! GO!"

The pups were impressed, especially Zuma.

"With the lord we rise!

Help from even the dividers!

Everyone hears our cries

All thanks to The Rider!"

Zuma watched Marshall as he sang. He had so many feelings flowing that he just wasn't sure what it meant, or what to do. Rocky was listening to what the producers were through his own pair of headphones. It was the demo with Marshall's voice. The pups in the producer's studio were impressed.

"Marshall sounds amazing!" "He sounds just as good without the music!" "I'm glad we have him singing!"

Marshall finished with The Rider.

"That sounded great! You're gonna kill it! Are you going to do Hometown?" a producer asked.

"Yeah, but I need Skye and Everest."

"We record those vocals separate."

"I think it'd be better to have the three of us record it together. It'd bring us closer!"

That worried Zuma, Marshall wanting to sing with the girls. He felt like an idiot though… Why would he be worried? Marshall is just a friend. Skye and Everest stood on either side of Marshall. Microphones were set up for them.

"We're here to tell you about the greatest town in the world! Adventure Bay!" Skye and Everest sang together.

The music from the demo played. Rocky couldn't help but headbang. It sounded so good! Chase walked into the mic room with the rest of them. The producers cut off the song.

"Hey Rocky, Chase, Zuma, go ahead and step out of the step out of the room. It's best to not… Rubble!"

Rubble walked into the the mic room as well. Tracker was done recording, so he walked into the mic room as well.

"Hey! Any pup not recording vocals, step out of the room!"

"It's better like this. It'll bring us closer together!" Marshall insisted.

"If you say so. 1, 2, ready, go!"

Skye and Everest did their intro again, then Marshall got to the verse. Zuma sensed the bond between Marshall and the girls as the buildup progressed. He didn't like how up tight he was. It prevented him from being able to enjoy it.

"Our home town!

One two three!

Hometown!

Look at me!

Visitors always come and go!

Fun things to do here high and low!"

Zuma paced back and forth, but as Marshall returned to the verse, he grabbed Marshall's paw. He felt the warmth of his paw, and he felt comforted. He couldn't believe he built up and did it. That's when he realized a problem… he made Marshall mess up, and they had to stop the recording.

"Zuma, step out of the recording room! You can't be messing up the vocalists during the recordings!"

Now he wanted to cry. He just got himself condemned by doing something stupid. He let go of Marshall's paw and headed for the door. It wasn't worth it… until Marshall stepped in.

"It's alright, it was an honest mistake, he can stay!"

"You're not the boss, all pups not recording, out!"

"We are the boss! All eight of us are! I made sure it went in the contract!" Chase intervened.

"You pups are going to be trouble, aren't you?"

"We're pups! We're young and energetic, what do you expect? Come here Zuma!" Marshall testified.

Zuma ran to Marshall and bumped into him. Marshall put his arm around him. Zuma suddenly felt worry free. He felt like nothing could harm him now! Nothing will stand in his way. When he thought he couldn't feel more powerful, he could feel Ryder.

"If you're the bosses, you count yourselves down! All we do is record!"

"1, 2, ready, go!" Chase counted down.

The pups recorded the vocals for Hometown, and when it got to the "One two three!" at the bridge, the eight pups shared the three mics. The producer getting frustrated was impressed, and was glad Marshall and Chase called for them to all be together.

"Remind me to start listening to you. That was great!"

"Told you!"

Marshall still had his arm around Zuma. The pups finally gave it some thought.

"So uhh… What's with uh…"

Marshall and Zuma looked at each other and quickly walked away from each other.

"Alright, y'all ready for Paw Patrol!?"

The pups all howled. The refrain involved all eight of them. They were each given a set of headphones and were ready. All eight of them ready to go! Paw Patrol is on a roll!

"The crowd waits as we take the stage!

Show them how the guitars rage!

All eight of us ready to go!

It's time to take control!"

Those last four lines still gave the pups chills. Marshall felt narcissistic because he gave himself chills. The chorus went through, and the pups sang the refrain.

"PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

We've fallen now we rise!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

Having the time of our lives!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

We're family in our eyes!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

When it's happiness or die!

Happiness or die!"

The producers have heard a lot of music, and it was hard to give them chills, but this did. They got to the bridge where the crowd sang, but it was just Rocky and Tracker's riff in the recording. They really hoped that the crowds would do the same thing they did at Battle of the Bands. They hoped they'd have a crowd in general. The song ended.

"Great job pups! Come into the producer's room! It's time to assemble the songs!"  
The producers rolled their chairs to the assembly computer. It was a Mac with Windows, which didn't really make much sense. The pups watched the producers navigate through the outrageously complex program and assemble eight different audio files.

"Ok… that goes there… uh… there… over here… and… done!"

"I wanna hear it!" "Let us hear! Let us hear!" "What does it sound like!?"  
"Hold on pups! The file is coming together! This'll be your first album! How does it feel!?"

The pups were speechless. They did it! Although it's only four songs so far, it was smooth sailing for the rest of the album.

"It's done! Ready to hear it!?"  
The pups howled. The producer played the track. Marshall's serenade played, then Skye and Tracker's sound came in. Then the song went to 200 BPM and Marshall's "AAAARRRGH! GO!" was heard. The pups looked across each other, and they looked skeptical. They never heard their own song before without playing it.

"Do you pups like it?"  
The pups looked at the producers, then back at each other.

"You don't like it do you? Well… we can go back, re-record it, maybe adjust to a sound you like, and if…"  
"WE DID IT!" Marshall roared.

The producers realized the pups were in hypnosis. They roared and were so glad they got it done! One accomplishment after another! This is going to pay off!

"You sure did! We're proud of you! How about making more songs, eh? But tomorrow, it's late!"  
The pups agreed.

"Should we take our instruments?" Rocky asked.

"No! Leave em! We have everything set up!"

The producers made a CD with the four songs for the pups. When they packed into the Patroller, putting the CD in the radio was the first thing they did. They were so satisfied! They got back to the lookout, then hooked up a CD player to its sound system. Rocky realized he had to put one in the Suburban. Tomorrow, they'd write and create more songs.


	14. Christmas Break from Recording

Short chapter. Now that Tracker has officially been premiered, I now know he acts and talks, so he will now be a bit different to fit his personality. Frankly, he's a bit annoying. I'm not sure whether or not I should go back and fix the previous chapters. (Disadvantage to putting in a character before his premier.) Just let me know if it'd be better to go back and change in the previous chapters how he is. 

The pups crammed into the Suburban, because they had no reason take or a place to park the Patroller. They had written a lot of songs that they hoped could put onto the album. They projected about 12 songs, but they had almost 30 songs. It was enough for two albums!

"Alright pups! This is your first demo in this studio! Let's see what you got!"

It was a song Chase wrote. The pups brought it in and gave their motivational speeches.

"To Ryder!" they all said.

"1, 2, ready go!" Chase counted down.

Rocky, Zuma, Skye, and Chase all had a part. Rocky messed up his part.

"Sorry! Screwed that up!"

Chase counted down again. Zuma didn't fully remember his part and didn't play.

"Sorry!"

On the next try, Chase intentionally messed up.

"Play the song right!" Rubble snapped.

The pups got serious and got through the demo. The producers were satisfied.

"Do you want to do a fine recording or record more demos?"

The pups were unsure? Zuma took a look at his song notebook. The very first song in the notebook was the song he had written for Ryder. He wanted to do it… But now wasn't the time. The pups were all in a good mood, this song would upset them all.

"Let's fine wecord it," Zuma offered.

The pups went into each individual recording room and recorded the song Chase wrote. It's the fifth song, they're already almost halfway through making the album. The pups worked through the weekend to get songs done. They got two done in three days. The album was already ahead of schedule. Monday was the start of the producers' Christmas vacations.

The pups realized they hadn't done any Christmas decorating. They never even batted an eye to the snow. Ryder being gone had really taken a toll on even the greatest holiday there is. That or they were too focused on the band. No, they didn't get the record deal until last week. It just wasn't the same without Ryder. Even the anticipation of Santa coming wasn't the same without sharing it with him.

They decorated a tree and lit it up, still singing and having fun. The band forming had really helped the pups grow a bond, which helped them cope. Ryder was glad to know the pups could cope. The pups were at the top of the observatory looking upon Adventure Bay. City lights and Christmas lights shining through the haze of the snow. It's been months since they've socialized with anyone in Adventure Bay.

They had been practicing all the time, and when they weren't, they'd maybe hang out with Jake or Carlos. It was Christmas time, it was time to hang out with family and friends. They went into Adventure Bay to catch up with everyone. Thankfully it hadn't changed much. Alex had gotten older and more mature… thankfully. Mayor Goodway had gotten a lot of help from Mayor Humdinger. Business for Mr. Porter was thriving, Cap'n Turbot was still doing his thing, and Farmer All and Farmer Yumi's farm was producing record numbers.

That was good for the pups. Although it wasn't the same, the pups were still happy. They had each other, and they knew Ryder was close. Having two weeks off from the studio gave them enough time to relax, play in the snow, and catch up with old friends. Christmas Eve eventually came, and the pups were laying together at the bottom of the lookout.

"We never sent letters to Santa!" Rocky said.

"We've been so busy with the band that we forgot all about him!"

The pups were disappointed now. What if Santa didn't come? Or what if his sleigh goes out again, and Santa needs their help, but they can't without Ryder? They didn't want to think about that. It's not like something happens every year, and considering what they've been through, Santa will understand. The pups tried to stay awake like they always do, but they fell asleep as always. They were disappointed to wake up to daylight, hoping Santa would wake them up, but they were comforted when they saw presents under the tree.

Santa knew what they wanted without them sending him a list! How did he know!? Santa left a letter for them

Dear pups,

I know what happened to Ryder. Just know he is always with you! I am too! He was a great kid, and it was a sad day when I found out he had passed. I hope your band goes big! Just believe in yourselves, and keep your faith! No one determines your success more than God. I understand you're really busy with the band, things happen. Luckily, I know what you pups wanted! Ryder told me!

Love

Santa

The pups couldn't believe Ryder had told Santa exactly what each of them wanted! They opened the presents. Not only did they get what they wanted, but Santa also gave them a golden record… it was the three songs they played at the Battle of the Bands! It was beautiful! It even came with its own frame. Despite getting all they wanted, it was the best thing they. got! It went with their trophies.

The pups enjoyed their presents for the next five days, then came New Years. They watched the ball dropped and 2017 was now underway!

"Happy New Year everypuppy!"

"Feliz año nuevo!" Tracker yelled.

The pups were feeling good now. 2016 is done! The year of Ryder's death, but also the year the band formed. 2016 was chaotic,but hopefully 2017 will be a year of success. Two days later, they were back in the studio, recording their album. They decided to simply call it "Paw Patrol." And by the looks of it, the album will be done early February. That will give the pups time to rehearse songs and maybe do a few shows around Adventure Bay and surrounding towns before they go on tour… For the first time!


	15. Playing at Home

The pups were back in the studio after New Years. They had seven songs planned left to record and continued writing and creating songs. They were done with the album by early February, and they wound up putting 14 songs onto the album. Them and the producers were listening to the final song on the album.

"Flying high feeling free

Nothing can break the bond

We swore when we said the cree

We've never felt so strong

The path is clear for us

Victory is a must!"

"It sounds great pups! We have a problem though. We don't have an album cover. You pups have to figure out what you want it to be."

"What do we make it?" Marshall asked

"It could be anything! Look at various album covers for inspiration. This is what the back side looks like. These are the colors, then the song list.

The pups made unanimous decisions on the song order.

The Rider

Flying High

Cybark

Angel

Standing Strong

Great Things End

Lost (intermission song)

Hometown

Warning Shot

Dibbs on the Stick

Our Faith

His Grave

The Lookout's Anthem

Paw Patrol

Other than the fact that there was no cover for the album, the pups loved it. That's when it hit Tracker

"¡Tengo una idea! We should all stand in front of the lookout, make ourselves look beat and tired, and have that be our cover!"

The pups liked that idea. The producers got a cameraman and waited until dusk. The pups rolled around in dirt and made themselves look worn out. They were lined up like MZRRCSET, to symbolize the signature Marshall put on the contract. The camera man found just the right angle. He took the shot. It was perfect! It went right on the album!

"The album is complete pups! Now all we have to do It's time to release it onto the CDs onto the shelves, and digital songs onto the internet!" a producer exclaimed.

The pups howled and celebrated.

"Does that mean we're going to get big!?" Chase was confident.

"Let's all hope so! The music industry is so unpredictable!"

"We'll get this! What do we do now?"

The pups tried to think of what to do. Zuma had an idea.

"Let's give a fwee CD to evewyone in Advntuwe Bay!"

The pups liked that.

"Yeah! That's a good idea! Let's go around and hand them out!" Chase agreed.

"How many people are in Adventure Bay?" a producer asked.

The pups had to think about it, but they were able to recall the population from the last census.

"18,430," Rocky recalled.

The producers laughed. They couldn't make 18,430 copies just to give out, and it's not like everyone in the town is going to listen to the album.

"I don't know about 18,430 copies. Let's start a 1,000 then if you given out all those, we'll make more. We just need an official release date."

"1,000? That's it? I don't think that's enough!" Rubble testified.

"If you give all the copies away, we'll give you more."

The first copy was given to the pups, then mass produced copies to be handed out to the citizens of Adventure Bay and put on shelves worldwide.

"The album will be available February 10. Until May, prepare to tour! We're getting you set up on two different potential tour. Is that something you pups are interested in?"

"Uhh… Yeah! We wanna tour!" Rocky said.

"We'll tell you when we have confirmation and we'll pay for your expenses and provide you with a tour bus."

The pups howled. They already got a tour going!

"That's amazing! Who are we touring with!? Slipknot!?"

"We can't tell you yet pups. But unfortunately it won't Slipknot."

"Oh, and we already have a tour bus, so it's alright," Chase said.

The pups were disappointed, but they were still excited. 1,000 copies were made and the pups were able to walk around and hand them out. Mayor Goodway was the first to get a copy. She tried to listen to it, but it just wasn't her type of music. She felt bad. They gave one to Cap'n Turbot, who absolutely loved it. They went around, gave one to Jake, Carlos, Mr. Porter and Alex, Farmer All and Farmer Yumi, Mayor Humdinger, and really everyone that was out. They ran out of copies and had to get more. Finally they handed enough out to not have to get more.

Now that they handed out free copies of their album three days before its release date, it's time to prepare to tour. And they have to play in Adventure Bay before they start touring in front of hundreds of thousands of people. They had to figure out how they were going to set of their stage. They've only seen three bands, so they'd have to watch videos of various band performances. That was one thing that sucked about not having much musical experience. They went to Mayor Goodway.

"Hey pups!"

"Hi Mayor Goodway! Are we able to get the stage set up so we can play for the town?" Chase asked.

"Of course! I was going to ask if you wanted to play and get the town united again! Ever since Ryder passed and the Paw Patrol hasn't been around, everyone's kind of… separated."

Now the pups felt bad. They didn't think about the fact that the town hasn't gotten any help yet. They have to find someone and a handful of pups that can replace them when it's time to tour. They quickly forgot about it when they hauled the stage to the field. Rocky was able to put his Suburban to some real use. The stage wasn't too heavy, and he didn't have to haul it far, but he was glad to be able to say he used it.

The pups scheduled the concert to be on the same day as the album release. They really hoped they could bypass playing in bars and clubs and go straight to playing in amphitheaters. That's wishful thinking, and it's rare, if not impossible, but if any band can do it, it's them! A band of pups that put on a hell of a show are on an imminent path to fame, and they knew. The 10th came. Everyone is Adventure Bay had taken the day off to seen them. Even a lot of people from Foggy Bottom came to see the pups.

"This is it pups! We're finally playing for our fans! We're not playing for competition! We know everyone watching us. That gives us the advantage, not only that they're a lot more forgiving if we mess up, but that we'll impress them a lot more than we would with strangers! That being said, we need to be a lot more passionate! We need to show our love and kick ass!" Rocky preached,

"And let's not fowget it'll impwess Wyder moaw too!" Zuma added.

The pups howled.

"Don't forget Ryder on three! One two three!"

"Don't forget Ryder!"

"Yeah! Let's hit that stage and make history!"

The pups ran onto the stage and the crowd roared. Marshall was the last on, having to follow Zuma closely because of his stage fright. The crowd expected a heavy start, but they heard Marshall's serenade. They knew it was the first song in the album, and all felt the emotion in the serenade. They knew what the pups went through, and it was a lot more sentimental to them than any other crowd the pups would play for. The sang with Marshall.

"Overcome all the fear

It's just life at top tier!  
Don't let this world tear you apart!  
Never leave who you love behind!"

That's when the song went to 200 BPM.

"ADVENTURE BAY! WE'RE HOME!

AAARRRGGGHH! GO!'"

The pups were excessively energetic at Battle of the Bands, but their energy here made them look like zombies then. The citizens of Adventure couldn't believe these are the same pups that played a pop song two years ago. Now they're playing metal! Ryder's death really changed their music taste. The Rider ended and the pups felt so alive.

"It's so nice to be back on this stage in front of you all again! Except the crowd is… well… rather than having some of Adventure Bay watching us, we have everyone in Adventure Bay and some from Foggy Bottom! We really appreciate your support after Ryder passed. It was just… a difficult time for us and… uh… we were able to move on. So thank you all!"

The crowd roared, happy the pups had moved on.

"Nevertheless, we're Standing Strong baby!"

The pups continued with their setlist. The adrenaline, the feeling of success, it just felt amazing! Of course, the first time they took the stage, they only played three songs. Now, they had 15 songs on their set list. They didn't think about how tired they were going to get playing a setlist that lasted more than an hour. They got to the intermission song Lost about ⅔ of the way through. It was a very sinister sound with various vocals from the pups in the background. It was a playback, the pups didn't physically play it. Getting through a few more songs, they got to where they felt it was right to play the song.

"Aftaw we weleased the album, I was going to dig thwough my song book, and on the fiwrst page I saw the song I missed. It was a song I fowgot to be on the album. I felt howwible. It was the one I put blood and teaws into… the one about Wyder. If we could all… give a moment of silence foaw Wyder…" Zuma mourned.

The crowd came to silence and the pups gathered at the front of the stage, paws linked together. A picture of Ryder was displayed on the stage screen. There was nothing but silence, all that could be heard was feedback from the amps. A minute passed and Marshall took the mic. Not a dry eye in the venue. The pups had all mourned.

"Thank you… now uh… this song we forgot to put on the album, we decided to do something special. We have our original instruments from our show from the talent show. We all gather at the front… and we play… close, together to…" Marshall started to break down, "It just shows how close we are… and how we were able to stick together…"

Zuma stood by Marshall's side with his tambourine. He wasn't going to leave his side.

"Anyway… enough of me being a puppy. How about we play the song?"

The crowd uproared to show support for the pups. There were four mics, one for two pups. Marshall and Zuma shared one, Rocky and Everest shared one, Chase and Skye shared one, and Rubble and Tracker shared one.

"I'll stand with you forever

Off to heaven

It's what's better

Promise you'll stay together

For all days

Promise me"

Zuma wrote this song switching back and forth between point of view of Ryder and the pups. After he talked to Ryder, he knew how he felt, and was able to get an idea of what he would say in the song. It was so emotional for the pups. They really needed each other. The crowd could feel it too.

"(All pups)

Without you we cannot be

To get you back is what we plea

Without you

Without you

We all cry as Satan taunts

Because God is what we want

Without you

Without you"

There was a slow guitar solo, but having only original instruments, Rocky was the only one that had a guitar. He just felt lonely. He didn't have Everest playing with him, which made the emotion even stronger for him. Everest knew and nudged up to him. He was able to let his emotions flow knowing she was there. She's became his absolutely best friend. With Marshall of course, but in a different way.

Marshall had a break from singing and Zuma was just playing his tambourine. They stood closer. Closer than friends. It was awkward in the studio, but here, it felt normal. They held paws to comfort each other. Skye and Chase weren't physically as close as the others, but emotionally they were. Having a keyboard and a drumset between them didn't help, but Skye started to break down and moved her keyboard so she could be close to him and cry into his fur.

Rubble and Tracker stood like brothers in front of their mic. Although Carlos was his human, he felt like Ryder was just as close. The song was just so emotional for the pups. It was hard to play and sing while they were mourning Ryder, but they managed. When the song was done, they needed to rebound. Just like they did with Ryder. They realized the symbolism they did by complete accident. The crowd was roaring in support.

"Thank you everybody! Thank you for your support! Now, let's wipe our tears and instead of mourn him, do what he'd want us to. And that's be happy and play our hearts out! We only have one song left, but it's our best and greatest song! Why!? Cause we're the Paw Patrol! Chase, Tracker, you know what to do!"

Chase started his intro and Tracker distorted it, and Rocky did a guitar slide and signalled the rest of the pups to start. They got to the bridge. That's what they were the most anxious about, and they hoped the crowd would catch on like the Battle of the Bands crowd did. This wasn't an average concert crowd. Plus the crowd at Battle of the Bands took them by surprise.

"Paw Patrol Paw Patrol"

Marshall just heard Rocky's guitar and Tracker's turntables. Damn!

"Paw Patrol Paw Patrol"

The pups were disappointed the crowd didn't catch on. Oh well, maybe the worldwide crowds will catch on, and the citizens of Adventure Bay will figure it out. When the song ended, they were able to do the post insanity that they ran out of time to do at Battle of the Bands. Once that was done,the pups stood at the front of the stage, the crowd roaring.

"Thank you all! It's because of you all we have motivation to move on! We love up all!"

The pups bowed and saluted. So happy to have played in front of their hometown. As they left the stage, everyone realized they didn't play Hometown… they were in Adventure Bay! The pups left the stage, and the crowd hesitantly packed up to leave, but then they heard twin guitars.

"We're here to tell you about the greatest town in the world!

ADVENTURE BAY!"

Suddenly a sense of pride for Adventure Bay filled the venue. The pride that had been lost with Ryder. For the first time since he passed, the town felt united.

"It's safe for me

And I'm not held

It's the best town in the world!"

The crowd sang the chorus with the pups. They gotnto the bridge, where they did their pause to hype the crowd, then started going again. They played just the instrumental before the bridge on a loop, and the crowd started singing the chorus.

"Our hometown

One two three

Hometown

Looks at me

Visitors always come and go

Fun things to do here high and low!"

The crowd sang the chorus three times, then the pups continued with the song, then left the stage for real. A week later, the pups got a call from the Roadrunner producers.

"Hey Mick!" the pups greeted.

"Hey pups. We have bad news, but also some good news."

The pups became anxious to hear.

"Well, the good news, we got you a nationwide tour with Disturbed and

Avenged Sevenfold! That's a new band's dream! But… the bad news. You sold 437 copies in the first week."

The pups were silenced. That killed their mood and momentum.

"But we set you up to tour with Disturbed and Avenged Sevenfold! Do you know how much of an opportunity that is!? All you have to do is play your hearts out! Two of the most popular metal bands right now, and you're playing with them! Impress, that's all you have to do! Then albums will sell! Who knows, if you impress this crowd, and sales skyrocket, then maybe you can headline soon."

The pups weren't going to let poor sales bring them down! If touring with these two bands truly was an opportunity, then they'll take advantage of it and make sure they make #1 on the Billboard 200!

AN: 3,000 views! Thanks everybody! Sorry for the slow updates, once again, I'm still in Arkansas, and I'm doing a lot of work on the farm and various redneck stuff California doesn't let me do, so I don't have as much time to write as I would at home


	16. Opening Show

As concert season rolled around, the pups still struggled with poor album sales. While their music was impressive, what turned people away was the pups on the album cover and a name like Paw Patrol. Not that it was bad… for a band full of pups, but the word wasn't around that they were actually pups. People thought it was a human band using cutsie symbolism to try to neutralize the metal feel. Well, everyone is in for a big surprise after the pups tour.

"I can't wait to tour! This is going to be amazing!" Chase was excited.

"We get to travel all over for free!" Rocky added.

"And play ouaw heawts out!" Zuma said.

The pups were packing the Patroller with their gear. Both gear for the band, and things to do for pastimes from May to August. They were going to be on tour from May 17th to August 24th. It was going to be a bit stressful, but it was going to fun! They had no idea what to expect. (To be honest, because my band is still small, I don't know what it's like to go on a nationwide tour, so I might get some things wrong.) They were looking at the tour schedule.

"We have to drive all the way to Tampa, Florida for the first show? That's a long drive!" Marshall observed.

Robodog barked behind them. It was ready to drive them all across North America. Opening for Disturbed and Avenged Sevenfold, along a handful of other bands on a separate stage, it could be what they do for the next however many years they stay together. At last, it was time to make the trek all the way to Florida. Luckily Robodog didn't sleep, so it should only take about two days of non-stop 70 MPH. The pups packed in. The town knew the pups were planning on leaving when they did, and they all had a farewell to them, wishing them luck.

The pups had always loved traveling, but they've never really been to many cities. They've always gone to tundras or jungles. 47 hours on the road… this was going to be a while. Four months of this now that they think of it. Maybe touring might be a bit boring.

"How different do you think it'll be touring across all these cities than playing at Battle of the Bands or at home?" Everest asked.

"Totally diffawent! We'll be playing in fwont of so many new people! No one knows we'aw pups! It'll impwess evwyone!" Zuma motivated.

"I hope we impress! It's our only hope!" Rocky added.

After a long trek of seeing so much of America, stopping at many gas stations and restaurants on the way, and spending a lot of time sleeping and messing around, the Patroller finally rolled up to the amphitheater in Tampa. It was hot! But there were many beaches, and it was by the water. This is a good way to start the tour. They had gotten to the venue a day early, but there were a handful of tour busses there. It was the first show of the tour, so it was expected.

The pups hadn't heard of most of the bands… or really any band they were touring with. The suck part about being new to the metal world was not knowing the bands. They don't even know what they guys of Disturbed or Avenged Sevenfold look like. That wasn't important to them. Not now. They had to triple check to make sure they had their gear. They chef!ed after they finished packing and before they left, but just in case something fell out or got jacked, they had to check.

"Holy shit, they weren't joking. The band opening the main stage is a band full of pups!"

The pups looked back to see a bald guy with two unique piercings on his chin.

"I haven't heard your music, but I've heard good things. Welcome to your first tour!"

"Who are you?" Chase asked.

The man then knew how little experience the pups had.

"I'm David Draiman, lead singer of Disturbed."

The pups were glad to know who to look for now.

"Your first tour you get to open on a main stage! You get an hour long setlist in front of 18,000 people!"

The pups were stunned, but also disappointed. 18,000 people! That's Adventure Bay's population at one show! That's a lot! But… only an hour?

"We only get an hour on stage?"

"You can't complain! The guys on the small stage, even some of them who have been around for years only get a half hour on stage."

The pups now had to figure out what songs to play and what songs to leave out.

"Good luck on that stage pups! We'll see you backstage!"

David Draiman walked back to his tour bus. Now the pups had to figure out what songs they were going to do.

"The Rider, Hometown, and Paw Patrol are all definite," the pups agreed unanimously.

"That's 15 minutes. A quarter of the show right there," Rocky observed.

"I wanna play Cybark," Rubble called.

"Why because you get to play that stupid snare drum?" Marshall joked.

"We can do it. We should also do Lost through PA before Hometown. It just fits the mood," Skye suggested.

"Let's do Warning Shot!" "Dibbs on the Stick!" "Standing Strong!"

They were able to agree on those songs. They finally got it figured out. The next day, all the small bands were performing on the smaller stages. Their show starts at 5. The bands that either finished performing, or don't need to set up yet were sitting at their busses or each other's busses. Or being interviewed. Some interviewers attempted to interview the pups.

"Hey pups! How are you doing?" an interviewer asked.

Marshall didn't expect this already. They haven't even played yet!

"Uh… uh… 24?"

The interviewers were confused now. The pups laughed.

"We're good! Especially now that we're on tour!" Rocky was enthusiastic.

"You're starting your first tour here in Florida! How are you feeling?"

"Feeling good! But… it's hotter than hell here," Chase said.

The pups were feeling especially puppyish.

"So who is the Paw Patrol?"

"What!? What does that mean? That doesn't make any sense! Can you say that again? Maybe with moaw cleaw woawds?" Zuma played.

"Who is the Paw Patrol?"

"WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!"

"Can you explain to us about the band?"

"Oh I'd love to! Eight pups going cwazy aftaw moving on fwom ouaw human's death, good music, a second chance and… Yeah!" Zuma walked away.

The cameraman focused on Rocky.

"What he said."

Rocky walked away and the camera focused on Tracker.

"Bienvenidos amigos!"

Tracker walked away and the camera circled all the pups, then lastly got to Marshall again. Marshall saw the camera and panicked.

"Uh… 73?"

Marshall ran to catch up with the rest of the pups. The camera went back on the interviewer.

"Well those pups are weird to interview. Let's move on over here to the Butcher Babies." (Yes that's a real band.)

Eventually the time came for the pups to set up. All the other bigger bands had roadies to set up their gear, so it went up fast, and they had more extreme stage setups. The pups just has their instruments and podiums for Chase, Skye, and Tracker. Eight pups and eight instruments. This stage was about the size of the Battle of the Bands stage, so they had quite a bit of room.

There was a curtain that was given to the pups for the tour that contained their logo on it. It was dropped and the crowd roared briefly, then they quieted down, skeptical about it. It was really colorful, and most of the audience bad never heard of the Paw Patrol. The pups didn't notice. They loved the way the stage looked with the curtain. Maybe they'll get a bunch of gadgets, pyrotechnics, and a giant screen in the back like Slipknot has. They had gotten set up about five minutes to 5 and were huddled up off stage.

"This is it pups! Our first tour! Our first show on the tour! On the main stage in front of 18,000 people! Bands work for years, sometimes decades to get here! We're playing with two of the most successful metal bands of the 21st century! We're here in a matter of months, being given an advantage because we're pups! Let's not take it for granted!" Rocky preached.

"Just because it didn't take us long to get here doesn't mean we didn't work as hard or go through torment! We worked our tails off and we suffered after Ryder passed!" Chase added.

"Now it's time to show the world what we're made of! More than just some record company!" Everest tacked on.

The pups howled.

"To Wyder on thwee! One two thwee!"

"To Wyder!" the pups yelled.

"Weally!? Making fun of my speech impediment!?"

The pups laughed as it was time to take the stage. Marshall had to be behind the rest of the pups because of his stage fright. Zuma knew and walked on by his side. The music that was playing through the PA was muted, signalling a band coming on. The crowd roared then was silenced when they saw the pups take the stage. The name Paw Patrol made a lot more sense now. It also made them more skeptical. Marshall started his serenade.

"After our loss

We needed a light in a darkened world."

The crowd couldn't believe what they were seeing and hearing. At a metal concert, pups take the stage, then make this kind of entrance. For every stage, how you can tell a metal band from any other genre is the drum set, almost always a double bass drum set signals a metal band. Here, it passed that protocol. Marshall finished his serenade, and the buildup to the heaviness began. Marshall ran off the stage. Not out of fear. Although he still feels sick to his stomach from the stage fright, it was tradition. Just before his queue, he was going to jump off of Chase's podium. And that's what he did.

"Tampa Florida!

Aaaarrrrgghhh! Go!"

That's when the song went to 200 BPM. That's also when they stunned the crowd. No one had heard about this band. They just come from nowhere, a band of pups! Was this the next wave of metal!? Now they're putting on a show like a headlining band would, just without the pyrotechnics. This song was solid! It sounded like they've spent months rehearsing, which they have with this song. It sounds like a song that a band that's been around for 15 years would make.

"Florida! Can you hear us!?"

The crowd roared

"Here we go!

With the Lord we rise!

Help from even the dividers!

Everyone hears our cries!

All thanks to the Rider!"

The song came to a finish and the crowd roared. Their performance had drawn the other bands backstage to see for themselves.

"How's everyone doing today!?"

Marshall's voice suddenly became high, which confused the crowd.

"We just really wanna thank you all for coming here and giving us a chance. And we wanna thank our record company and the organizers of this tour for giving us this opportunity. I know you came here for music, but it's story time!"

The crowd just laughed, they couldn't be worse at story telling than Nickleback.

"We formed this band back in September. We needed something to help us move on. Our human died. We were part of a unique force called… well… the Paw Patrol. We helped people out with big problems. During a mission where a train car derailed, we had to go out to the canyon to recover it… and he… fell. Our band is fueled by his spirit and our friendship."

The crowd was impressed and stunned. This had never happened before.

"And before you bag on my high voice, I'm only nine years old! I just have a really low singing voice."

"We all have high voices," Rocky jumped in, "I'm eight."

"Enough talking! Let's get back to the metal!"

The pups continued to play and impress the Florida crowd. They eventually got to Lost, which played over the PA. It was a trippy sounding song. Eventually it faded to the guitars, then the girls' voices

"We're here to tell you about the greatest town in the world! ADVENTURE BAY!"

At the end of the song Marshall had to explain that Adventure Bay was the town they came from. Their second to last song was interesting. Marshall did something unplanned and unrehearsed. He named off the pups throughout the course of the song.

"We are the PAW PATROL!

It started with a cluster

From all the power we could muster!

Remenissions! Appreciations!

Thought we were going straight to hell

But everyone's wishing us well!"

Rocky and Everest were up on a stage monitor together.

"Our guitar players! Rocky and Everest!"

They were confused. This wasn't planned. They thought Marshall was calling them out until the breakdown between the verse and the chorus.

"This is my bassist Zuma!"

The song went on and Marshall named off every pup.

"That's Rubble hitting those kegs!"

"Tracker's all ears behind those turntables!"

"Those fly special special effects come from Skye!"

"Let's not forget our drummer Chase!"

At the end of the Chorus, Marshall was able to introduce himself.

"Rebound! Recrowned!

We're moving on!

On and on! On and on!

We've gone Cybark!

Technology! Gets the all of me!

On a roll!

Come and go! Come and go!

Cybark! Cybark!

I'm Marshall! We're out! Thank you all!"

Marshall ran off the stage, seeming to forget they had another song. The pups looked across each other. They started anyway. When Marshall heard the distorted drums, he immediately ran back on and tripped in the process. Everyone was able to see the confidence and pride the pups had. Eventually they finished the song and showing dominance on stage and Avenged Sevenfold started setting up.

"Hey, that was a hell of a show you put on!" a voice said from nowhere.

The pups turned around to see who said that. They had speculation on who it was.

"You're from Avenged Sevenfold aren't you?"

"I'm Matt Saunders or M. Shadows, call me whichever you like. I'm the mic man behind Avenged Sevenfold."

"It's good to meet you!"

The pups now knew how to identify each band.

"I just wanted to tell you that was a hell of a show, especially for a bunch of pups! You grabbed the attention of that crowd with no effort. If you keep performing like you did today, you're going big!"

"Shadows let's go!" Synyster Gates, Avenged Sevenfold's guitar player yelled.

"Coming! You're welcome to stay backstage, or you could go sign autographs, or go get interviewed."

M. Shadows ran onto the stage. The pups went further back to find interviewers wanting to interview them.

"Well, I guess this is the stawt of the papawazzi," Zuma said.

"Marshall! This is the Paw Patrol's first tour, and you absolutely blew away the crowd! How do you feel!?" an interviewer asked.

"Egg roll. I could sure use a vacuum right now, Ice-T, Rico Suave, and Humpty Dumpty were all doing what they were supposed to. I just wish Han Solo survived."

No one knew what to say, the pups were laughing as the interviewers looked across each other, confused.

"Zuma, can you describe your experience?"

"It's a mattaw of skill, desiaw, and fwiendship. Oh and weed. The smell is stuck in my nose!"

"Is that good or bad?"

"Depends on how you look at it."

"Can we get something serious from you pups?"

"Probably not. We're pups," Rocky said.

"I guess, so when you…"

Rubble got bored and walked away.

"Rubble! Where's Rubble going!?"

"He either saw food or doesn't like you. Probably both," Chase said.

"So Tracker, those turntables sounded sick! Where'd you learn to play those?"

"Toda mi vida pensé tocadiscos eran muy divertido, así que pensé que creativa para habilidad en una banda de metal."

Tracker spoke Spanish to contribute to messing with the interviewers. They all looked at each other puzzled and he continued to speak Spanish.

"Ok… thanks. So Rocky, you seem to be pretty good at guitar, how'd you learn?"

"Couldn't have done it without Everest. I played guitar for a talent show one time, I shoves it to the side, then we decided to form this band. I busted the guitar back out, invited Everest to play guitar with me, so we eventually…"

Rubble came back eating a hotdog.

"What'd I miss?"

"2pac's wesurwection," Zuma said.

"Damn it, I missed his death and resurrection!?"

"So anyway Rocky, continue."

"I forgot what we were talking about," he lied.

"Nevermind! So you and Everest make a good team with those guitars. Are you… more than that."

Say yes Rocky! Say yes! Or… no don't make Everest feel weird. Say yes! Nah tell the truth, Rocky thought. What he didn't think about was what came out.

"Unfortunately."

What did I just say!? Rocky couldn't believe his answer. He got looks from all the pups, especially Everest. That was a yes you stupid! And it made it sound like you don't want to date her! You're too damn young for love! Rocky scolded himself. He had to play dumb to hide it.

"Wait, what exactly is the question?"

"Are you two more than… guitar players to each other?"

"Oh! That question didn't make sense the first time! No, guitar is all we can play."

The interviewer facepalmed. He couldn't get a simple answer out of these pups. Eventually the pups got food after the interview, which the interviewers weren't satisfied with, but was still going on Metal Injection. They went backstage for Avenged Sevenfold and Disturbed's shows. They put on an amazing show… they felt their shows were better than theirs. Well of course they were, they got pyrotechnics, they're playing at night where all the focus is on the stage, the fans knew them before the concert, and they each have more than 10 years in the making. The pups have about eight months of experience. Time to pack up and head to Atlanta, Georgia.

"That was a huge success!" Chase yelled when they got into the Patroller.

"Fünf Quattwo can suck ouaw dicks!" Zuma said.

The pups were silenced by what Zuma had to say, then they all busted out laughing, also agreeing.

"Would Ryder want you saying that?" Skye asked.

"As long as I'm happy."

They waited for the concert traffic to clear up before leaving. It was about two in the morning before everything cleared.

"Robodog, take us to Atlanta, Georgia!" Rocky commanded.

Robodog barked and set out for Atlanta. The pups went back to the trailer of the Patroller. This is how it was going to be for the next three to four months. Sleeping in one room, sharing that room with their gear and not very much to do. It was good for the week long trips they went to the jungle, or wherever Ryder took them, but three months, this was going to be a bit uncomfortable. Marshall ignored it and passed out.

"With the Lord we rise!

Help from even the dividers!

Everyone hears our cries!

All thanks to the Rider!"

As the pups were playing, something didn't seem right. Rather than friendship, there was tension. Not only that but, the amplification system was making a strange sound. After the song ended, Marshall tried to talk to Rubble, but he ignored him. So did Chase and Skye. Zuma was the only one there for him, Rocky and Everest were focused on each other, and Tracker was busy hyping the crowd.

"I'm heaw, we'll be togethaw," Zuma comforted.

"I guess, but I want my friends too."

As there seemed to be separation, the crowd waited patiently.

"We'aw in this togethaw Mawshall!"

"Not if we're not united!"

Marshall looked back for a starting signal.

"Chase! Are you going to start the song or what!?"

Chase gave Marshall a dirty look and reluctantly started the song. As the song progressed, there seemed to be something wrong with the amplification system.

"Mawshall! You heaw that!?"

"I'm singing Zuma!"

Zuma went back to his stage monitor. When he did, it exploded, sending Zuma flying back to Marshall's paws. He laid lifeless as the other pups fled. They just left! Not even checking on Zuma! Marshall dropped, knowing his closest friend was dead. That's when the stage started falling apart, and eventually a light beam crushed Marshall.

"Ahh! No!"

Marshall had jolted awake enough to land on his paws. His scream was loud enough to wake all the other pups up. He looked out the window. At least they were in Atlanta by now…

"It was just a bad dweam, you'aw ok!" Zuma comforted.

Zuma hugged Marshall. That really helped comfort him.

"Yeah a bad dream… Hopefully that's it."

"What happened?" Rocky asked.

"Nothing… I… I don't want to think about it."

"It'll help," Chase offered.

"No! It won't! Just…"

Marshall hugged every pup.

"We'll stay united forever, right?"

The pups realized why Marshall was so scarred from it.

"Fowevaw!"

"Together!"

"The Paw Patrol forever!"

AN Sorry it took a while to update, I've been traveling, but I'm back in California :(. On the trip back, I wrote a lot, so the next chapter is almost ready.

Just to give y'all an idea of what the three main songs (The Rider, Hometown, and Paw Patrol) sound like, the serenade from The Rider is based of XIX by Slipknot, the beginning verse is based of Sarcsstrophe, also by Slipknot, and the chorus is based off of The Negative One... also by Slipknot. Those three songs can be found on YouTube, or if you have Spotify or something similar, you can listen on that. Hometown is supposed to be Moskau by Rammstein, just with the pups' own lyrics. That can be found on Spotify, but it's not on YouTube due to international copyright laws. Lastly, the verse, chorus, and refrain of Paw Patrol is based off of the Rocket League Throwback Anthem, which can easily be found on YouTube. Enjoy the ear candy!


	17. On Tour

"Atlanta Georgia!

AAARRRRGGGHHH! GO!"

The pups put on a powerful show in Atlanta, and impressed even more people. Some of the crowd had gotten word of the pups, so some knew what to expect, and some had even bought their album the day prior. Nevertheless, a majority was still shocked and impressed. As the tour progressed, they took American metalheads by surprise and showed every other band who's boss. What they didn't know is what was happening with their album sales. They'll know when they get home. They continued to tour all across America.

"Charlotte South Carolina!"

Little did Marshall know it was the wrong Carolina.

"Norfolk Virginia!"

"Baltimore Maryland!"

"Pittsburgh Pennsylvania!"

"New York City!"

"Boston Masstachutets!"

The pups were embarrassed about that one. Marshall should probably learn how to say the names of states.

"Columbus Ohio!"

They were in Cincinnati.

"Detroit Michigan!"

Rocky didn't seem like himself during that show. He trembled as they crossed the border into Michigan as well as some town about an hour away from Detroit.

"Indiopolis Indiana!"

This was going to be a long tour if Marshall kept mispronouncing names, or getting the location wrong.

"Chicago Illinois!"

"Des Moines Iowa! Hi Slipknot!"

"St. Louis Missouri!"

"Nashville Kentucky!"

Zuma hit Marshall for that one. That better not affect album sales! They were on their way to New Orleans. They weren't even to Texas yet! This is a lot for a couple of pups! That's not what distracted Skye. They were going into Alabama on the way to Louisiana. The pups were all playing a game, but Skye walked away from the game and sat up front with Robodog. Robodog barked.

"No, nothing's wrong."

It barked again.

"What do you mean I seem down?"

Robodog barked again.

"No, I just thought you'd need some company."

It barked.

"So what you're a robot, you still need company."

Robodog disagreed.

"Of course you do! Don't say that! We all love you!"

Robodog called for the pups.

"Don't you!... I'm not acting weird!"

The pups came up front.

"What's going on Skye?" Chase asked, "It's something about Alabama. I can sense it."

"Do you and Marshall remember when Ryder first found me?"

"Yeah, you were on his ATV trying to fly."

"I… was trying to fly home."

"This is home?"

"Farmland of Alabama. My parents were farm dogs. I was born. I was the farmer's favorite. His truck, a 1986 GMC pickup. I can remember what the truck was and I can't even remember my parent's names. It was in that truck that I developed my affinity for flight. The farmer… I think his name was Ron, would hold me as I had almost my entire body out of the window. That's how I got the name Skye."

"How'd you end up in Adventure Bay?" Rocky asked.

"I was abandoned. My brothers and sisters made fun of me for thinking I could fly. We took a family trip to Adventure Bay. Ron wasn't there, otherwise I would've gone back. Ryder found me, I was cold, hungry, and lonely. I felt safe when he picked me up. But even when I got to the lookout, I wanted to go home. Mistaking Ryder's ATV for Ron's truck, I tried to fly. After a while, I figured it was what God had destined to happen. Then… Ryder passed. I wished I had stayed in Alabama. But I'm still glad I didn't. I wouldn't have met any of you."

Skye started to break down. Of any pup she could've hugged up to, she grabbed Robodog. Not only was it hard and made of metal, it was also driving. The pups all looked at Rocky now.

"What?"

"How about your background and why you have a weird grudge against German," Everest said.

"I wasn't born in Germany, I don't have a sentimental story like she does."

"Just tell us!"

"I will when the time comes."

"We're touring right now! We're closer than we've ever been, Skye told her story! There's no better time than now!" Marshall was getting impatient.

"Trust me, there is."

The pups were annoyed with him not telling his story.

"Hey Robodog, how long until New Orleans?"

Robodog answered.

"How long until we're supposed to be in the gate?"

Robodog answered.

"That's five hours to spare! Skye, do you wanna stop by your old farm?" Chase offered.

"I don't know where it is."

The pups felt bad now.

"I wish I did."

"Someday Skye. They'll hear about us, then they'll search for you."

"I hope."

The ride was silent all the way up to New Orleans. Luckily from there out, the tour continued normally.

"New Orleans!"

"Little Rock Arkansas!"

"Dallas Texas!"

"San Antonio Texas!"

"Kansas City!"

"Omaha Nebraska!"

"Minnapolis Minsota!"

Couldn't have finished the tour without Marshall mispronouncing a destination.

"Denver Colorado!"

"Albuquerque New Mexico!"

"Phoenix Arizona!"

"Salt Lake City… uh…"

Now Marshall was forgetting the states. He was just glad the tour was coming to an end, there's been too many shows!

"Las Vegas!"

"Sunny L.A.!"

"San Diego!"

"Sacramento!"

At last! Seattle! The last show of the American tour! The Canadian tour only has four cities. Wow it's been stressful! They actually got sick of playing their songs, they never thought that'd happen. That's when they had the pep talk with Marshall.

"You know Mawshall, it's good you acknowledge the cities, but you mispwonounced a lot of places, and sometimes got the state wong!" Zuma briefed.

"I don't get an A for effort?"

"You get a B-," Rocky said.

"An 83% at least?"

"That's not the point! The point is leawn the cities!"

"I've had fans come up to me and say it's cute."

"We're still pups! When you're a grown dog, it'll be different!" Chase added

"Why worry about it now?"

"Because…"

They got a call on the pup pad from Roadrunner Records.

"Hey Mick! How's it going!?" Marshall asked.

"Well, after being on the road for three months, I figured I should tell you your album progress."

"How is it!?" "Are we selling!?" "Are we going big!?"

"Let me put it this way. You won't be opening for Disturbed and Avenged Sevenfold anymore."

The pups' hearts sank. They couldn't believe the turn their career keeps taking.

"No! Please! We're a big hit!" "Please at least let us tour!" "We're having such a good time!"

"Your career as a small town band and a show opener is over. Last night we received confirmation that Paw Patrol has sold 1,043,763 copies. In other words, you just went platinum!"

"WE DID WHAT!?"

The pups celebrated like they did when they won Battle of the Bands. Now they felt like idiots to think that they had failed.

"The ceremony will be held in your hometown when you get back from your tour! Congratulations pups! I knew you could do it! Next summer, you're set to headline!"

Robodog barked.

"Well, that means we're pulling into Seattle. We'll talk to you after the show!" Rubble said.

"Good luck pups!"

The pups unpacked their gear and set up for the final US show.

"Seattle! Home coming stretch!

AAAARRRRGGHH! GO!"

Marshall was relieved. He only has to sing the serenade four more times. When the show ended in Seattle, the pups stood at the front in victory! They couldn't have asked for a more successful US tour. Chase threw drum sticks, Rubble threw mallets, and Rocky, Everest, and Zuma threw picks. The others didn't have anything that they used to throw for a fan in the crowd to catch.

"Seattle! America! Thank you! Go Seahawks!"

That made the crowd roar more, the pups revealing they're Seahawks fans in Seattle. When they went backstage, there were more interviewers. It was slowly becoming known that they just mess with interviewers now.

"Pups! This is the end of your US tour, how do you feel?"

"I feel like I'm Zuma," Zuma said.

"You are Zuma."

"Well that explains it."

"Marshall, how do you feel?"

"Can I have a belly rub?"

"Rocky can give you one."

The pups realized the interviewers are messing with them back.

"Woah, it's weird if one pup does it to another," Rocky defended.

"Oh well. So you pups have played with a bunch of metal bands on this tour, and you opened the main stage. What bands do you want to tour with next?"

"Slipknot," Marshall answered almost immediately.

"Any other bands?"

"Uhh… eh… umm… maybe… oh… Er…" Rubble stuttered.

"Uh… err… umm…" the interviewer mocked.

"Rammstein," Rocky said, "I'd love to sing a song with them."

"We're platinum by the way," Tracker interrupted.

"Really!? How does that make you feel?"

"Que? Me habla no Ingles."

"Wha… You… You just told us you went platinum!"

There was an awkward silence between the pups and the interviewers.

"Paw Patrol! Dominating the metal industry since September of last year!" Chase broke the silence.

The pups cheered and howled.

"And the smell of weed is still in my nose!" Zuma yelled.

"Mine too. I originally hated that smell, but after the good memories of this tour, it's grown on me!" Skye added.

"Uh oh, pothead pups!"

"Drugs are bad!" "We don't smoke!" "That's bad for us!" "Why would you smoke weeds? Like… weeds that grow in your garden?"

The pups gave Marshall a stupid look. Rubble randomly walked away again.

"So what do you pups do in your free time?"

"52," Marshall said.

"Uh, sleep, play, sometimes drive ouaw old twucks awound," Zuma answered.

"Drive your trucks around… so there you have it! The Paw Patrol's free time activities! What made you form this ba…"

Rubble came back with a hotdog and water bottle full of yellow liquid.

"Sorry, I got hungry. Anyway, here you can drug test if you want. Or I can autograph and that could be memorabilia!"

Rubble handed the bottle of urine to the interviewer. The interviewer held it with two fingers by the cap.

"Uh… thanks? Is this… uh… a way to show affection?"

Rubble signed the bottle, "Now it is!"

The pups laughed thinking it was the funniest thing ever. They didn't realize yet that the mental transformation was already happening. They were getting older, closer, but not quite to teens. Taking on adult responsibilities and touring around in not so pup friendly environments was speeding up the process of maturing… or becoming less mature in some cases.

"Well, I have a… souvenir from this interview. Anything else pups?"

"Uh… we smell awful. More than thwee months of stage filth and no bath is taking its toll!" Zuma admitted.

"We're all going to take long baths when we get home!" Rubble said.

"Not me! No bath for me!" Rocky contested.

"You smell worse than that flower you had to take across the bay with your boat converted truck!" Marshall insulted.

"He doesn't smell that bad!" Everest defended.

"You all smell bad!" the interviewer burned.

"I could take that bottle of urine back!" Rubble threatened.

"Actually I'm getting kinda thirsty."

"Ok, too far."

The pups walked away. The interviewer had no clue what to do.

"What do I do with this? Will there really be a fan obsessed enough to want this?"

The pups walked back to the Patroller.

"That was so awesome!" Chase said.

"Yeah, this tour was amazing! Now all the rest of the shows are in Canada!" Zuma bragged.

"I meant the interview, but the tour was awesome!"

"Now it's time to go back to Canada and kick ass!" Rocky motivated.

That's what happened. Only five bands from the tour went on, so only one stage was needed, so the pups didn't open the stage. Avenged Sevenfold went ahead, and Disturbed stayed home. David Draiman has a kid to tend to. The five bands went to Montreal, then Quebec, Toronto, and closed in Vancouver, which was perfect for the pups, only an hour from home, and this was where they signed the Roadrunner contract. Marshall made his speech just before they played Paw Patrol to close their last show of the season.

"Vancouver! Man, we owe you all!"

The crowd cheered.

"For those of you who don't know, we're from Adventure Bay! Being only an hour from home, we feel home right now! We've gone platinum just over the course of this tour. Before this tour, we sold a grand total of 1,600 copies. When we were in Seattle two weeks ago, we were told we went platinum! Right here in Vancouver, we signed our contract with Roadrunner back in December! In eight months we went from an unconfident group of pups who are moving on after their human died, to platinum and next year's headliners!"

The crowd roared for the pups.

"It's friendship that keeps us together, it's the memory of our human that keeps us united. It's us being as close as we are that helped us, as well as knowing Ryder is on our side! That and us being pups kinda helped us get famous. Ryder was our human by the way. All these morals are the opposite of what people stereotype metal to be, when really, it's what metal is all about, bringing us all closer together!"

The crowd couldn't agree more.

"I don't want to sound cocky, but I gotta ask… WHAT'S OUR NAME!?"

"Paw Patrol!" the crowd answered.

"WHAT'S OUR NAME!?"

The crowd answered again.

"Tracker, Chase, take us home!"

The pups played Paw Patrol, then packed their gear into the Patroller.

"There it is! The last show of our first tour!" Rocky said.

"What a success! We're famous now!" Skye added.

"You know what this means right? Baths and a full night's sleep!" Rubble was excited for that.

The pups were ready for that. Not so much a bath for Rocky. When Avenged Sevenfold finished their set, the pups said their goodbyes to them and the rest of the bands. Despite having the shortest drive home by far, they left the earliest. They were the most tired and worn out. It was their first time doing a tour like this. The rest of the bands stayed and partied. The pups passed out before they even got home.

AN: I'm sure most of you know, but to those of you who don't, being in a band and becoming famous is NOT as easy as depicted here. My band has been around for about as long as the Paw Patrol band as of this chapter, we're nowhere near to the point of even being signed. If you thought about starting a band and hope to get famous right off the bat, it's extremely rare. I was well aware of it when I formed my band.


	18. Off Season

After waking up in the Paw Patroller, and unpacking all their gear, the pups got a call from Roadrunner Records.

"Hey Mick!"

"Hey pups! I just wanted to tell you we have your platinum ceremony set up for September 3rd at the stage in Adventure Bay! The town is invited!"

The pups were stunned. At two things. They already went platinum and had the ceremony at home! But… the date.

"September 3rd… That's the anniversary of Ryder's death," Chase observed.

"Oh, I didn't know that. We can schedule it on another day if you want."

The pups all looked across each other.

"No, it'll be fine. We'll dedicate the start of our worry free living to him," Skye said.

"Are you sure? We got no problem rescheduling it."

"We'aw doing it! We'aw not going to let Wyder down!" Zuma insured.

"September 3rd it is! I'll see you then pups!"

By the end of the week, the ceremony was in every Adventure Bay newspaper and flyer. Adventure Bay went into pause mode for the ceremony like they did for the pup's first concert in the hometown. The day came, and the pups went to the cemetery before doing anything else. They mourned a little bit, but they mainly laid down flowers and gear by Ryder's grave, then prayed.

"As the eight of us unite, our faith and spirituality has grown stronger in the last year than it ever has. God in charge, Ryder supporting us, it's you two that we thank for this rebound. We'll never forget you Ryder! We know you're there waiting for us!" Chase prayed.

"And good Lord, we ask you continue to watch over Ryder. Just protect him until we get there. There's nothing we want more," Rubble added.

"We also ask that you continue to support us through our Adventures through music and touring possibly world wide! As long as we never part, and we stay united, we'll be just fine!" Rocky asked.

"And pwotect Wyder," Zuma repeated.

The pups couldn't think of anything else.

"Thank you for giving us the opportunity we have! Amen!"

"Amen!" the pups repeated in unison.

The pups went back to the lookout and got prepared for the ceremony. All the pups except Rocky took baths. Rocky had already been forced to take a bath when they got home from the tour. The pups kept giving him hell and Everest wouldn't come within three feet because of the smell. They were all backstage, this time rather than about to perform, they're about to be rewarded. The torment, the hard work, it all paid off!

Most of Adventure Bay was at the ceremony, but the crowd wasn't quite as big as it was when the pups performed. There were Roadrunner representatives various others to hand the pups the platinum record.

"Adventure Bay! Hometown of the Paw Patrol! Good songs by the way!" Mick said.

The crowd roared.

"On behalf of Roadrunner Records, we're gathered here today to celebrate the success of these pups, the music they put out, the hell they went through. To go platinum is every band's dream! To go platinum on a first record is rare! These pups, deservingly, achieved a dream! Their success will reign on! Welcome to the stage, the Paw Patrol!"

The pups ran on victoriously. The crowd was roaring. They made Ryder proud! They impressed their friends from when the Paw Patrol had been a first responder, and they gave inspiration to all the kids.

"Congratulations pups! You sold over a million copies! With that, I introduce you with this platinum record!"

The pups stood frozen as a record with their name on it had a platinum coating on it. They each got a grip of the frame it was in, not touching it. They didn't want to ruin the perfection.

"Look here pups!"

A cameraman took take their picture with all eight of them holding the album.

"Give it up once again for these pups! Marshall, Zuma, Rocky, Rubble, Chase, Skye, Everest, and Tracker! They'll be headlining nationwide next year!"

The ceremony ended after a little longer, and after it was done, the pups did a meet and greet. They hadn't socialized with the town for a while. They've been recording, they've been on tour, and there's so many people in the town. That took quite a few hours, but they were able to get pictures with a lot of citizens. Mainly kids and metalheads. After the crowd cleared, a lone man walked up to the pups.

"The Paw Patrol! That's what you pups became!"

His voice… could it be!?"

"Y… You… C… Cor… T… T…"

"I listened to your album, I'm impressed. I also know why you were in tears after we played Skeptic. Yes, I recognized you. If ever doubt yourselves, just look at our rebound after Paul passed," the Corey Taylor preached.

"I… We don't know what to say!" Zuma managed to get out.

"No need to say anything. I recognized you pups the minute I saw a picture of you. By the way Marshall, you got some badass vocals!"

Marshall stood for a couple seconds, then fainted.

"Well… Is he gonna be alright?"

"He'll be fine," Rocky insured.

"I came here to ask, do you pups want to headline day one of Knotfest next year?"

"Do we!?" "Please!" "We'd love to!" "You'd do that for us!?" "Where am I?"

Marshall got back up, saw Corey Taylor, and fainted again.

"Great! When the time comes to schedule bands, we'll put you pups in to headline! It was good to finally meet you all!"

Corey gave each pup a pat on the head. Marshall regained consciousness in time for Corey to pat him. When he did, Marshall passed out again.

"Ok, he might need to be checked out by a doctor."

The pups gave their farewells to Corey as he drove off in his Range Rover. Zuma nudged Marshall until he regained consciousness.

"Corey Taylor… He pat me on the head!"

"You don't have a cwush on him do you?" Zuma asked.

"I might…"

The pups started writing songs for the next album. They weren't going to record it until next year. They wanted a long rest from this tour. Their next tour though… They're North American headliners next year! They had to start preparing! There's a lot more to being a headliner than just playing. You need pyrotechnics, stage design, and you need to be willing to do stupid stuff to each other. The pups… well… are too young to be doing stupid stuff to each other.

"Stage design, what should we do?" Chase asked.

"A big screen in the background!" Marshall suggested.

"Yeah, we could put pictures behind us, and have footage from our performance!" Skye added.

"We gotta have more than just a couple of pedestals that we have now," Rocky pointed out.

"How about having platforms that Skye and Tracker play on, they raise up an down, and when they're at max height, there's a platform up there that extends across the width of the stage, I'll play up there too, then there will be stairs that go to the main floor of the stage, there's a platform Rubble plays on, then the rest will be a stage level, being able to walk up the stairs?" Chase suggested.

"That's complicated," Tracker said.

"It's doable! I'm on board with that!" Rocky disagreed.

The pups figured out how they'd design the stage. They might need a road crew. Zuma had the best idea.

"We should get ouwr unifowrms from when Wyder was still awound and weawr them durwing ouwr shows!"

The pups all liked that idea. They went to their locker room halfway to the observatory to grab their gear. They realized a problem.

"I can't fit into my vest!" Chase complained.

"I can't either!" Skye agreed.

None of the other pups could either.

"I can't put my helmet ovawr my head," Zuma added.

"So much for this idea," Rocky said.

"It would've been a good idea, I didn't realize how much we grew," Everest said.

"Wow, Mawshall's vest is snug on me now!" Zuma observed.

Zuma was a good bit smaller than Marshall even back in the day, so his vest then could snug up to Zuma now. It was… comforting. Something that had Marshall's scent on it hugging up to him gave him a good amount of comfort.

"It's a good fit on you!" Marshall said, a little flirtier than he would've liked.

"I have another idea!" Rubble announced.

"Film what Marshall and Zuma do at night?" Chase wondered.

"That too. We should get a new order of gear that'll fit us, and put lights and all sorts of cool outlines on it. The logo on our hats and helmets will light up, and the badges on our pups tags will light up. We'll each be a beacon on the stage!"

They all like that idea.

"Let's do it! I'll find where we can get that stuff custom ordered!" Rocky offered.

He ran down to ground level. He was going to get into the Suburban and take it to find a place, but he noticed his old truck sitting in it's parking spot. He sure missed driving it. It had an eco mode, where it got good gas mileage, and he was able to protect the environment at the same time. Then it had the power mode when he needed the torque. Even in power mode it got a lot better gas mileage, and was eco friendly than the Suburban. He decided to drive it instead. Rocky was the only truck owner in the world that actually cared about the environment over his gas bill. Ironically he never took the truck out of power mode. He wanted to drive it hard like the good old days, and he did.

As winter passed, the pups prepared more and more for their second tour cycle. One thing that had to be done, that the pups didn't want to do, was remodel the Paw Patroller. It was absolutely immaculate from Ryder's hard work… but it just didn't work for three month long tours, especially now that they have a lot of gear. They now have to segregate the cargo and the living area now, and now have to put in bunks for each pup. Privacy would slowly become a problem.

"Step one, we have to take out the vehicle rotator and build a wall between the cargo bay and the living area," Rocky planned.

"Build a wall like Donald Trump?" Marshall asked.

"Donald Trump is long gone. Gary Johnson took office last year," Skye announced. (Sweet, I get to predict the future!)

"Thankfully it wasn't Hillary! Could've affected album sales!" Rubble added.

"There's 300 million people down there that could've been taken over by the government and you're worried about album sales?" Everest asked.

"They could flee to México!" Tracker said.

"Let's get back to this, politics could tear a band apart! So I was thinking, when we build the… let's call it a bulkhead so Marshall doesn't think of Donald Trump, I'm thinking we could add to the platform where Ryder's ATV parked, so we could have storage here, and above us. We're pups, even when we grow up, we only need so much headroom. Then on the side where there's no door, we build six bunks, the on the side with the door, we build two. The bunks will stack two high. This space here will just be lounging space and food. The front of the truck won't be touched."

"That's a lot of work," Rubble complained.

"We've done nothing but hard work since we've formed this band, it ain't stopping now!"

The pups spent a couple months remodeling the Patroller. On top of Rocky's plans, they put in a shower. Rocky tried to avoid that. They had snow delays, and they had to make it as immaculate as possible. After that project passed, they had a few months to relax and recharge before they had to start rehearsing again. Now the next tour was approaching. Hopefully this time around won't be as tiring or stressful. They each have privacy now, and they don't have to dodge their gear in their lounging space. They went shopping before they left to get food, games, pastimes, and Zuma grabbed a pawful of cigars. They're platinum, they're living in luxury now, there's nothing that tops off luxury better than cigars. And there was no minimum age for pups.

And so the corruption of innocent minds begins… the males grabbed jimmy hats, "just in case," and Everest grabbed certain things that Skye didn't think about. After all there was almost a two year difference between them. After a few hours, the pups were satisfied with what they got. Now they just had to load up the Patroller, and they're ready to go.

AN: Sorry it took so long to update, I've been hella busy lately


	19. Epic Opening Show

The pups were so excited to headline this year! The crowds were just as big, and there were just as many bands. The cities were backwards this year. Instead of going east to west, they're going west to east, so they didn't have to drive all the way to Florida to start the show. They started in Seattle this year, then finished in America in Boston, then went to Montreal, finished Canada in Vancouver. They were going to play in Knotfest as well, so they're going to play in Mexico and Japan as well.

They packed into the Patroller, and were off Seattle. This tour they could tell was going to be a lot more exciting. They were touring with mostly new bands. The only two bands that stayed were Butcher Babies, and Hatebreed, who got a spot on the main stage. Small bands like Psychostick played earlier on the small stage while bands still rising up like White Chapel played later on the small stage. Trivium was on this tour, that's one band they could cross off their bucket list of bands to tour with. Slayer played second to last before the pups, and Killswitch Engage played between them and Hatebreed. Robodog barked at about 6 in the morning.

"We're here!" Skye announced.

"We awre!?" Zuma asked.

"Shut up! We're trying to sleep!" Rubble shouted.

Most bands were sleeping. Skye and Zuma got out of the Patroller to see only a handful of other band members up. There were more road crews and event staff awake more than anyone. A road crew member from Killswitch Engage came up to them.

"Aren't you pups headlining? You should be asleep, you probably won't get to sleep until 2 in the morning at least."

"I've stayed up 24 hours on our last tour, I'm not worried about it," Skye said.

"I might sleep befowre ouwr show anyway," Zuma added.

"Are getting over your speech impediment? It doesn't seem to be as strong as it used to be."

"Weally? It doesn't seem any differwent to me."

"You just said an R there!"

This was Skye's first realization that they're growing up. She had never thought about it, but now it hit her. Zuma's speech impediment… it can't go away!

"So, how's the stage for you pups? This is the first time pups have ever performed on a metal stage. Let alone headline."

"It's gweat! We love it! Aftewr ouwr human died, music was the one thing that could keep us togethewr. We fowrmed this band and we absolutely love playing!"

"That's crazy!"

A few hours later, the pups got up. Thanks to the clouds Seattle offers, they didn't have to set up their canvases. They were able to lay out food and lounge outside. A few interviewers came up to the pups.

"Hey pups! Do you have time for an interview?"

"Do you have food?" Rubble asked.

"You have food right here."

"Belly rubs?" Marshall asked.

"Um, maybe just a couple of you wanna come?"

"Rocky, Chase, this band was your idea," Everest volunteered.

Chase and Rocky went with the interviewers to their trailer.

"Today we got Rocky and Chase from the Paw Patrol! How are you pups doing?"

"Wassup!" "We're great!"

"That's good to hear. You're starting this tour cycle in Seattle. How do you like it here?"

"It feels like home!" Chase said.

"So Rocky, your girlfriend said you and Chase are the founding members, is that true."

Rocky facepalmed at the interviewer thinking Everest is his girlfriend.

"Uh well we're all technically founding members, but what happened was when our human died, we were all sitting in the lookout tower we live in, then all of a sudden, a song by Slipknot came on. We absolutely loved it. Then the TV goes out. I go out to my truck to find something to fix it, then I found my guitar from when we performed at a talent show. I run back in with it, tell them we should form a band, and Chase was the only one on board with it."

"Oh really? Chase, what'd you think?"

"Uh, to be honest Rocky, I thought you were an idiot. I just wanted to do it to get Ryder off my mind."

"Oh that would've been nice to know earlier!"

"It didn't matter earlier!"

The interviewer just laughed, "There's so many shows during this tour, and so many thousands of people that want to go to this show! We asked so many of those people who they wanted to see the most, and every one of them said the Paw Patrol!"

Rocky and Chase just looked at each other, then the interviewer.

"Now I feel pressured!" Rocky said.

Rubble ran in from nowhere.

"Hey how's it going? Sorry, coming through!"

He was chasing after a Frisbee, which landed on top of the trailer.

"Uh oh. This means pup tower!"

Rocky climbed on top of Rubble, who climbed on top of Chase. They eventually stretched high enough to where Rocky could climb on top of the trailer. Rubble jumped off of Chase. Rocky grabbed the Frisbee.

"Land on me," Chase said.

Rocky jumped and missed Chase.

"Oww."

"How'd you miss me?"

"Well there you have it, the incredible, yet dysfunctional teamwork of these pups!"

"Haha," Rocky mocked.

"You know the trailer has a ladder right?"

Rubble laughed as he walked away. Chase and Rocky just looked at each other.

"You didn't tell us?"

"We just wanted to watch the show."

The first band took the side stage. There weren't many people in yet. 13 bands and 10 hours later, it was time for the pups to take the stage. The crowd waited anxiously for them to take the stage. They had a lot of time, and they were able to play all 15 songs. Due to them forgetting to hire a road crew, other band's road crew members went overtime and helped the pups set up their stage. They didn't mind because they were getting paid by two bands now. The pups has their main stage screen along with the two projectors already provided by the amphitheater.

They went off of Rammstein's countdown idea. A 10 went up and the crowd roared. 2… The countdown stuttered as it tried to go to 1. It did, but then it started counting back up. 5… the numbers went crazy, then an infinity symbol showed up. The crowd was confused now. Skye was able to sneak on the stage with no one seeing and made a sound with her synthesizer. It was a build up sound that ended with an explosion from the pyrotechnics. The Paw Patrol logo appeared on their screen and the two projectors. Then the crowd roared. Marshall took the stage alone for the first time. He trembled not having anyone by his side. Just him and Skye who was on the other side of the stage.

"With our loss

We needed a light in a darkened world,"

The crowd roared hearing his voice, which boosted his confidence. It didn't help that a searchlight was shining on him, making him the center of attention. Chase, Rubble, and Tracker snuck on with no one seeing. Rocky, Everest, and Zuma waited until Marshall's serenade was over. When it ended, the searchlight went off Marshall, and focused on the rest of the pups. The rest of the stage remained dark so Marshall was able to sneak to the top while Rocky, Everest, and Zuma took the stage.

The searchlight that was on Chase was made to where it went out from a technical dysfunction so Marshall could sneak in front of Chase's drum set. Just before the queue, the searchlight came on and shined on Chase and Marshall at the same time.

"Seattle Washington!

Aaaarrrrgghhh! Go!"

The crowd roared as the stage lit up. There was an explosion of pyrotechnics as the song took off. Marshall jumped off the pedestal onto stage level. That was a big jump, he was going to hurt himself if he wasn't careful. He got to the front. The unmistakable and sweet smell of fresh air, weed, and chicken strips.

"Seattle! Sing with me!

With the Lord we rise!

Help from even the dividers!

Everyone hears our cries!

All thanks to the rider!"

The crowd sang with Marshall as he turned on the lights on his uniform. Rocky and Everest's solo came and he and Zuma ran up to the top platform, where they both ran around with their uniform lights on. Zuma had his bass fret lights on as well. Pyrotechnics shot from Skye and Tracker's platforms while Rubble's set lit up. Once the song ended, Marshall had a load of time to talk to the crowd.

"Seattle! How are you all doing!?"

The crowd roared.

"Last year we finished our tour here, this year we're starting it! We love playing here! Last year, we also opened this stage, this year, we're headlining! We didn't have anything last year, no pyrotechnics, no lights, we lacked experience, and we had such a time crunch on this stage! Now, we can be on here all night if we wanted to! Now is it just me or… hey Jay, can you shine the lights on the lawn?"

The lawn area was really dense full of people.

"That lawn looks crowded! Was this an oversold show? Hey Jay, shine lights on the full crowd."

Marshall was able to see the full crowd.

"Wow! I've never said I love you to this many people before, but there's a first for everything. I love you all! I'd give you all a pup lick, but… there's too many of you. My tongue would turn into a cactus. As of tonight, I'm proud to say you are all part of the Pawpulation!"

The crowd liked their new label.

"Anyway… shut up Marshall! Do you want to hear more music rather than me babble on?"

There was a surprisingly neutral reaction from the crowd?

"By the way, Dibs on the stick!"

Marshall grabbed a giant light stick that the pups passed to each other throughout the duration of the song. Although it was named after Zuma calling dibs on the stick that was used to hold up a trap door in the jungle temple, it was actually figuratively about Tracker joining the Paw Patrol. At the end of the song, the stick breaks, and Zuma can be heard going "aww…" just like when it actually happened.

The pups put on an epic show, and they eventually all had their uniform lights on. Eventually Lost played over the PA. On the screen, the maze screensaver from Windows 95 was shown as symbolism for being lost. Windows 95… that was before any of the pups, or even I was born. At the very end of Lost, the screensaver got to its destination, and Rocky and Everest started the song. Skye jumped off her pedestal to sing with Everest. Throughout the song, the screen in the back basically gave a tour of Adventure Bay. The crowd sang along during the bridge. Marshall didn't expect non Adventure Bay residents to sing along. Tracker mixed it up, originally the accordion sounding solo was played on the synthesizer. This time, he actually played an accordion.

Next, they played Angel, which was heavily inspired by Engel by Rammstein. The bridge was sang by both Marshall and Everest, there was a whistle done by Rocky, and the riff was a lot like it.

"Only God knows what we truly need

His help

Everest: A loss that brought each of us down

No we're not asking for a crown

We need one thing while we cry

Marshall: Ryder as an angel til we die!"

Skye is ultimately the one who surprised everyone. She pulled out her jetpack, which still easily had the payload to support her now. A guy from the sound crew gave her a wireless keyboard while Jay shined lights on her. Jay and a few sound crew guys were the only ones who knew she brought her jetpack. The rest of the pups didn't even know. When Tracker's breakdown came, she boosted into the air, with pyrotechnics blasting from the wings of her jetpack. The pups watched in awe. That wasn't even planned! Tracker kept messing up because he was distracted.

Skye flew around after the breakdown was over. She flew over the crowd, throughout the stage, then landed on the last beat of the song. The next song happened to be Flying High, so she was able to continue flying around. The show went on fairly casually until the third to last song. That's when they played their mournful still untitled song dedicated to Ryder. It was a short break because they pups had to get the instruments they used in the talent show… three years ago now!

"This next song… is very uh… emotional for us. It's about our human from when we were first responders and not a band. I'm sorry if we break down," Marshall was already starting to cry, "We miss him so much!"

Marshall turned his back to wipe his tears.

"I'm sorry! Uh… we haven't released this song in studio, and I don't think we will. It's just kind of our weird way of showing this one stands out."

Chas counted down. The song was just as emotional as it was when they played it in Adventure Bay. They all broke down uncontrollably.

"Without you we cannot be

To have you back is all we plea!

Without you!

Without you!

We all cry as Satan taunts

Because God is what we want

Without you!

Without you!"

The mournful song just brought the pups closer together. They were all gathered together at the front of the stage. The crowd was silent, mixed emotions across the almost 20,000 people there. Rocky and Everest cried into each other's fur while Marshall and Zuma held paws as they sang together. Rubble and Tracker felt like brothers as they shared an inner pain. Skye cried into Chase's fur as Chase tried to comfort her the best he could while he was drumming. To the pups' relief, the song ended. The crowd roared to try to cheer them up.

"Thank you… it means a lot… thank you!"

Zuma grabbed his bass then returned right to Marshall's side. Rocky grabbed his metal guitar, Everest grabbed hers, then they stayed together. The rest segregated back to their usual places. Marshall took a deep breath trying to prevent himself from having an anxiety attack.

"The low point of the night just happened. Thank you all for your support. It means so much to us!"

The crowd roared.

"Alright… We got two more songs left for you! Do you want two more songs!?"

The crowd roared again. Marshall heard someone at the front say they wanted 10 more.

"I'm afraid we don't have 10 more songs. So this next s… What the…"

A young mongrel pup ran on the stage. This pup was probably how old Rubble was when he joined the Paw Patrol. Marshall put the pup on his back.

"And what's your name?"

"Evan!"

"Everybody say hi Evan!"

"Hi Evan!" the crowd said.

"Looks like I got a stage buddy for the rest of the night."

"Greatest day ever!" Evan said.

"You ready to go Cybark Evan!?"

"Yeah!"

"Chase, take this little pup home!"

Chase counted down the song with a drum fill. Marshall jumped around, but made sure Evan was holding on. He couldn't believe it! 10 years old and he already had pups looking up to him! He named off the pups as the song progressed. When a break in the vocals came, he asked Evan if he knew the words.

"Uhh… um… no…"

"That's alright pup!"

Cybark finished.

"Cybark! Cybark!

I'm Marshall… and this is Evan! Thank you all!"

Marshall saw grown dogs at the stage entrance. He had a feeling they were Evan's parents. He walked over to them.

"I'm sorry about the distractions!" Evan's dad apologized.

"Oh it's not a problem! It's good to see young fans of music like this!"

"Evan! We told you not to do this! You're in trouble you hear me!?" his mom snapped.

"Can I at least stay for the last song?"

"Stay here! Don't step paw on that stage!"

Marshall was still a pup himself, and suddenly felt like he had no authority, but he was going to defend Evan.

"Did you have fun though, pup?"

"The most fun I've had in my life!"

"All it takes is good friends and hard work, and you can be like me some day."

Marshall remembered they had ordered more than one helmet for each pup just in case one got damaged. He took off the one he was wearing and put in on Evan's head, despite being way too big.

"All it takes is inspiration and desire! Actually, inspiration…"

Marshall signed the helmet… sloppily. He looked at the signature and wished he would've put more time into it.

"Well, I still need practice on my signature. But this just goes to show that no matter how impossible it may seem to be me, no matter how much of a god I may seem, I was just like you at one time!... but cold and… abandoned. You have it better than I did! Don't take it for granted!"

"Wow… I… Thank you!"

"Marshall! Let's go!"

"Follow your dreams pup!"

Marshall grabbed a spare helmet and ran back onto the stage when Chase and Tracker started Paw Patrol. The pups made sure their uniform lights were on. The stage went dark, only lighting was the pups' lights and the Paw Patrol logo on the screen in the background. After Rocky's guitar slide, the stage exploded with pyrotechnics, then the stage was lit with the Paw Patrol's colors.

"Take the stage as adrenaline fills our hearts!

As a team helping since the start!

On a roll, we're on a roll, on a roll is the…

Pack it up, get ready to go!

Rebounding we'll rule the show!"

The pups made sure to show their dominance. They got to the bridge, where they got exactly what they wanted. The crowd sang along to what would normally just be Rocky and Tracker's instrument tracks. Paw Patrol finished, and the pups stood at the front of the stage saluting, standing tall, bowing their heads, or whatever they felt right doing.

"Seattle! Our favorite American city! Thank you!"

The pups threw souvenirs into the crowd, such as drum sticks, guitar picks, or whatever expendable thing they could throw. Rubble had gotten a big shipment of gloves he used to grip the sticks, so he threw out the gloves he had on. What a success! They could only hope the other shows will be as good as this one.

"We love you all! No joke, this has gotta be the best show we've done yet! On behalf of me, us, Slayer, Killswitch Engage, Hatebreed, and all the other bands here tonight, thank you all for coming! Good night to the Pawpulation, from the Paw Patrol! Oh… and go Hawks!"

The crowd roared as the pups left the stage. They were going to take down the stage once the crowd rolls out. Marshall, Rubble, and Skye passed out as soon as they got to a place to rest. The rest of the pups sluggishly took down their gear and got it packed into the Patroller with the help of the road crew. Everest passed out as soon as she got to her bunk. The rest had to go back to get the other three, who probably weren't going to wake up.

"Mawshall, I don't wanna cawwy you!"

Marshall didn't budge.

"Cwap!"

Zuma managed to get Marshall onto his back, and slowly but surely carried him back to the Patroller. Marshall somewhat regained consciousness, just enough to process Zuma carrying him, then he passed out again. Chase didn't want to wake up Skye. She was too peaceful, but he was able to carry her without breaking a sweat. She's not much heavier than a bass drum, and less awkward to carry. Rocky and Tracker tried everything ethical they could to wake Rubble up.

"Well, looks like we have no choice but to carry him," Rocky said.

"Ugh…"

They worked together to get Rubble to the Patroller. Thankfully for Zuma, Marshall had the bottom bunk. He set Marshall down, moved him to a comfortable position, then tucked him in.

"Good night Mawshall!"

Chase did the same thing with Skye. Rocky and Tracker dropped Rubble into his bunk.

"Night Rubble!"

Rocky and Tracker jumped into their bunks, but after not being able to get comfortable because they felt bad, they jumped back out and put him in a comfortable position and pulled a blanket over him.

"Good night Tracker!"

"Buenas noches Rocky!"

Each of the pups were out in two minutes. Robodog drove off to head to Boise, Idaho.

AN: To make up for slow chapter production, here's two in one day


	20. More Than Friends?

By the time the pups woke up, they were in Boise. That wasn't saying much, they didn't wake up until damn near noon. The show ended at 11, it took two hours to tear down, and after the show they put on and giving it everything they had, they were bound to get 10 hours of sleep. Each pup got out of the Patroller and socialized with other bands, got interviewed, or simply snacked and lounged.

"This is the life!" Rubble said as he laid back soaking in the sun and eating all he could.

"It's a little cold here to be the life!" Skye objected.

"But it's Idaho, home of potatoes! How else do we get fries?"

"The temperature is perfect for me!" Chase said.

Zuma was hanging out with Hatebreed, and Tracker and Marshall were getting interviewed.

"So word has it, you really enjoyed your first show!"

"It was amazing!" Marshall yelled, "Best show we've put on yet!"

"I'm waiting to see Marshall hurt himself on his jump!" Tracker said.

"Oh go back to Mexico!"

"You wanna play that card, huh?"

Rocky and Everest were the only ones not outside. They were in the Patroller getting their bunks made up and trying to clean up the lounge space.

"Last night was so great!" Rock said.

"I know! That was an amazing crowd! Your stage idea was incredible! It was such a beautiful view from that top pedestal!" Everest praised.

"I knew Marshall wanted it! He always likes to jump down at the beginning. I feel like it's too high and he might hurt himself though."

"He'll be fine! When has a fall ever hurt him?"

"Good point. Oh I hope this show will be as good as Seattle! That pup that snuck on the stage though! I wasn't expecting that!"

"Oh I know! He and Marshall just loved each other!"

Loved each other… that rang through both of their heads. Although it may have not have seemed like it with how well they communicate, they both felt really awkward being alone together. They never really have. They both stopped what they were doing and stared at each other.

"We sure make a good team!"

"It's crazy how close we are."

There was a short pause.

"I need to tell you something!" they said in unison.

"You first," Everest offered.

Rocky got closer to Everest.

"We've gotten really close in then last year… and uh…"

Rocky lost all control. He lunged at Everest, and kissed her. She ended up on her back and he was on top of her. He kissed her as much a he could, seemingly glued to her. She tried to push him, but he didn't budge. He felt her face, then her back. She tried to push him off, but didn't know why. It was exactly what she wanted him to do. His paw slid down to her leg, that's when his realization kicked in. He realized what he did.

"Oh no! No!"

Rocky jumped right off of her.

"Everest! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that! I… I just lost control!"

He didn't know it's what she wanted.

"You think I tried to fight it?"

"What?"

"That's a yes!"

"A yes to what!?"

She got up, inched up to him and smiled.

"Your bunk or mine?"

"To…"

They made eye contact.

"Mine it is."

Everest pulled Rocky by his collar to her bunk. His adrenaline was going now! A different kind of adrenaline as when they took the stage together, but it felt just as good! They were young, but it was imminent. They both knew the whole time, but were naïve about it. It just made them closer! Poor Robodog, it thought something was wrong with the Patroller, and got out to fix a nonexistent hydraulic problem. It barked to Rubble.

"Not now Robodog! I'm trying to relax!"

Robodog barked again.

"A hydraulic problem doesn't affect the way it drives, we'll be fine!"

It kept trying to get Rubble to help.

"We can deal with it before we leave tonight… So what if it takes an hour! I'll be asleep. Between you and me, Robodog, I'm trying to get the others to do the hard work! I just want to relax."

Robodog growled at Rubble's selfishness. Meanwhile Zuma was battling it out with Chris Beattie, Hatebreed's bassist. Chase and Skye also barged right into Marshall and Tracker's interview. Marshall greeted Chase by a hit to the face.

"Me gusta!" Tracker said.

"Go eat your tacos!" Chase insulted.

"Really? Now you're stereotyping me?"

"You know we love you Tracker!" Skye comforted.

Rubble threw a roll of toilet paper. He intended for it to hit Marshall, but it his Skye. Immediately he went back to normal as if he didn't throw it.

"Oww! Where'd that come from!?"

The other three started cracking up, they saw Rubble throw it, but they weren't going to tell her.

"So Tracker, of every pup in this band, who are you the closest to, and who are you the most distant from?"

"I'm the most distant from Everest, and the closest to… either Chase or Marshall. Neither of them have a problem telling Mexican jokes."

Everyone except Tracker laughed.

"I take it back, I'm probably closest to Rubble."

"What about you Skye?"

"Uh, I'm the closest to these three here, and the most distant from… wow Zuma and I used to be really close, we've grown pretty distant. But actually, probably Rocky."

"For me, I'm probably the closest to… who am I close to?" Marshall asked.

"You seem to be closer than friends with Zuma!" Chase said.

"Yeah, I'm close with Zuma, but not like that! And I'm the most distant from… Rubble or Everest."

"Same," Chase said, "I'm the closest with… probably you Skye."

"Aww! You're sweet!"

"I'm thirsty," Marshall said and just walked away.

Meanwhile, Robodog was relieved that the "hydraulic problem causing spring fluctuation" went away. Rocky and Everest laid there just staring into each other's eyes. Now they seemed inseparable.

"I love you Everest!"

"Yeah? I love you more!"

"No you don't!"

Suddenly Rocky shot up with panic.

"Everest!? You're not old enough to… you know… have pups are you? We're still pups!"

"You don't think I didn't think of that did you?"

"Whatever you did, I trust you!"

"So you know how I just spent 10 minutes organizing this bunk?"

"Don't worry, I'll reorganize it for you! You go get some fresh air!"

"I'd feel bad leaving you to organize my bunk."

"You've officially made me the happiest pup alive! I owe you!"

"Thanks Rocky!"

Everest stepped out while Marshall stepped in.

"Why are you digging through Everest's bunk?"

"I'm organizing it for her."

"I need to tell you something… a secret. Can you promise you won't tell anyone?"

"I have a secret to, so… we'll be even."

"Oh you first!"

"You came to me!"

"Alright… Don't let Chase know… I'll never hear the end of it. I have a crush on Zuma. I… It's weird! He… he's a guy! And my friend! And… oh… He was carrying me back here last night. I already kinda had feelings for him… but that… just something about it… I… oh…"

"The amount of male relationships has been on a steady rise, even among dogs. You're not the first, and sure not the last, it's nothing to worry about. Besides, you do know Zuma likes you back right?"

"Don't try to cheer me up with false hope! I can't get over it! W… what would my dad think if he found out I dated a guy!?"

"Your dad abandoned you! Fuck him! It doesn't matter what he thinks!"

"Rocky…"

"I know, I'm sorry! It's just… you're my best friend. I have strong feelings towards your parents, they tore down your self esteem, then abandoned you!"

"You know my story, but I don't know yours."

"It's a long story."

"I wanna hear it!"

"Wouldn't you rather hear my secret?"

"Um… which one is more impressive?"

"Secrets always are. Don't tell Everest I told you, and don't tell any other pup."

"Yeah?"

"Everest and I kinda… well you all left us alone… and I have to reorganize her bunk because we messed it up."

"No! Get outta here!"

"I lost control of myself, but she was complete on board with it!"

"That's so awesome!"

Skye poked her head in.

"Marshall, the interviewers want you!"

"Ugh! Coming!"

Marshall walked out of the Patroller. At that time, Zuma was coming back from the bass battle. He saw Marshall walk out. He felt like he had to tell someone how he feels about him. Who could he trust?

"Wocky won't tell anyone!"

He walked into the Patroller to see Rocky alone.

"Hey Wocky, can I tell you something?"

Here we go again, Rocky thought.

"Yeah, of course!"

"Just pwomise you won't tell anyone!"

"Of course!"

"Well… I kinda have a cwush on Mawshall… and… I don't think he'd be willing to have a male on male welationship. I… I don't know what to do!"

"You know he likes you back, right?"

Rocky intentionally broke his promise to Marshall.

"Don't twy to give me false hope Wocky, now's not the time!"

Rocky looked at the camera in disbelief. He just wanted to strangle both of them! Then tell them they love each other and leave them alone in a room. After a little bit more frustration for Rocky, it was finally time to take the stage. For this show, Rocky and Everest were even closer than they were in Seattle yesterday. However, Marshall and Zuma were more distant. Rocky noticed as they took the stage.

"Boise Idaho!

Aaaarrrgghh! Go!"

The show was underway. It felt just as badass for them as it did yesterday. It must've been something about headlining, their stage design, and lighting. The only difference is there was a lot less weed. That was the first thing Zuma noticed. But he knew it was legal in Washington, but was completely outlawed in Idaho. They gave it everything they had, just like last night. Skye had her jetpack, the pups had uniform lights, they were each brought to tears during Ryder's song, and rebounded for Cybark. Except a pup didn't walk on stage.

After the show, Rubble and Marshall passed out again. Rubble more willingly, but Marshall damn near collapsed once the adrenaline drained because he gave it everything he had. Skye managed to stay awake, probably because she wasn't up at 6 in the morning. Once the Patroller was packed, Zuma carried Marshall back again, and Rocky and Tracker teamed up again to carry Rubble back. Rubble was ultimately a freeloader. Robodog drove off to Las Vegas once the pups were asleep. Thankfully robots don't need sleep. The pups were really starting to take it for granted.


	21. Sin City

Las Vegas was HOT! The pups noticed as soon as they woke up and the AC was on full blast. They looked to see every band had canvases set up next to their tour busses. As soon as Zuma opened the door, he felt like he was walking into an oven.

"Oh it's hot! Hey Wobodog, can you open the cawrgo bay?"

Robodog barked and opened the rear door so the pups could grab their canvas to protect them from the sun. Zuma was the first one to walk out, and immediately the blacktop burnt his paws.

"Ah! Hot! Hot!"

He ran as fast as he could to the back so he could grab the rug and the canvas. None of the other pups were willing to step out.

"Weally? None of you awre gonna help me? My paws awren't immune to the heat!"

Robodog walked right out to help. Actually, it just did it all itself. The canvas was up and the rug was on the concrete, and the pups, at least the ones that could handle the heat, stepped out. Everest couldn't stand the heat, so she stayed in, but Tracker wasn't bothered by it. The pups that were outside were melting. It had to be close to 110 degrees!

"Uh… Why is it so hot!?"

Zuma lit a cigar.

"If I'm gonna suffewr, I'm gonna suffewr in luxury!"

"Zuma!? Why are you smoking!?" Chase snapped.

"Thewre is no legal smoking age fowr pups! Besides, cigawrs awren't bad fowr you."

The pups stared at Zuma, some thinking he's crazy, some skeptical, some wanting to try one. He took a puff.

"This is fun!"

"Can I try?" Marshall asked.

Zuma handed Marshall a cigar.

"Puff in while you light it. It won't light wight if you don't."

"Oh well… I was wondering if I could try yours… just in case I don't like it."

Zuma wondered if Marshall was serious. It already had his saliva all over it. Does Marshall really want to put something that had his saliva all over it in his mouth? Did he want Marshall's saliva all over it? Of course he did!

"Here you go! By the way, don't inhale…"

Before Zuma could finish the warning, Marshall inhaled the cigar. He started coughing with smoke coming out of his lungs.

"I shoulda warned you before…"

Marshall stopped coughing and inhaled it again.

"I just said don't inhale! Stop inhaling!"

"I'll be fine!"

"Can I have my cigawr back?"

Marshall gave it back. Rocky grabbed one.

"Alwight Wocky, you just puff it in like you'wre dwinking fwom a stwaw!"

That what Rocky did. He didn't start coughing and huffing like Marshall did, because the smoke didn't actually go in his lungs. It was warm going into his mouth, but as it stayed, it got hotter and he had to force it out.

"You're right, this is kinda fun! And it won't give us cancer like cigarettes?"

"Not these ones, I bought the good ones!"

Everest saw Rocky smoking as she looked through the window. That scared her. She ran outside.

"Rocky! Those aren't meant for pups!"

"It's not any different than from a human smoking. It's for leisure!"

She walked up to Rocky.

"Want a puff?"

She didn't until they made eye contact.

"Jake smokes these, why not?"

"Don't inhale, just like you're…"

"I know how to do it!"

Soon the entire circle had a cigar.

"See? This is the life!" Zuma praised.

"It's hot though! I'm a husky! I'm not meant for this!" Everest was miserable.

"I think I burnt my tongue!" Skye said.

"Don't keep it in your mouth too long!" Zuma warned.

Everest was just about passed out on Rocky's chest when she heard a waterspout switch on. She looked at a couple band members filling up a cooler.

"That's a great idea!"

Everest ran to the back of the Patroller to get a cooler. The blacktop was really burning her paws! She ran to the waterspout, where the surrounding blacktop had water poured on it already, leaving a significantly cooler ground. She filled up the cooler, dragged it under the canvas, and laid into the water.

"Oh that's better!"

Rocky suddenly felt like he had no desire to cuddle up with Everest. Her being wet kinda turned him away.

"Hey Rocky, can you hand me my cigar?"

"Uh… sure."

He grabbed her cigar and handed it to her, trying to prevent his paw front touching hers.

"What, you suddenly wanna avoid all contact?"

"It's not that, it's just… you're wet!"

The pups laughed that Rocky didn't want to be near her just because of that.

"You didn't seem to mind me being wet yesterday!"

"That's different!"

It took a couple seconds, but Rocky and Everest realized they just leaked the information to the rest of the pups. Everest nearly jumped out of the cooler when she realized it, but Rocky kept his cool and avoided eye contact with any of the pups as he was reclined.

"Any of you pups see the new episode of Pound Puppies? I didn't get a chance to watch it," Rocky said trying to avoid any mention of what Everest said.

He could feel all the pups' attention being aimed at him and Everest.

"Pound Puppies ended in 2013," Chase said.

"Lucky had to move remember?" Marshall reminded.

"Whewre is Lucky anyway? I never saw the last episode." Zuma wondered.

"Man Pound Puppies ended at the same time as our rise to fame, as first responders at least. Can you believe we had our own show going?" Rocky reminisced, originally with the intent to distract.

"Now that you mention it, we were always kinda famous," Rubble recalled.

"Yeah, we were loved by kids, now we have the attention of every metalhead in North America," Skye added.

"I wonder… what do the kids think of us now? Obviously the pups love us," Marshall wondered.

There was a short silence, then it was broken by Chase.

"So what are you two hiding?"

"Damn! I thought I shook you from that!" Rocky was frustrated.

"Well?"

Rocky took a hotdog off the grill and ate it.

"I don't need to say."

"Is that why you two seemed even closer last night than you did in Seattle?" Tracker observed.

"I got no clue what you're talking about!"

Rubble started cracking up out of nowhere.

"Robodog! He thought there was something wrong with the Paw Patroller! He wanted me to help fix a nonexistent hydraulic problem!"

"Oh now I feel bad!" Everest said.

"That suspension isn't immune to two pups jumping around," Rocky masked.

"You're not fooling any of us!" Zuma snapped.

Marshall, being the only one not using his brain, was confused.

"Wait, so when you told me your secret yesterday, you two did have sex right? Or were you really just jumping around."

Damn it Marshall! Rocky thought. He threw a half empty water bottle at Marshall.

"Oww! What was that for!? You told me not to tell anyone, and I haven't!"

Rocky was a pup of his word, and it was the perfect revenge plot.

"Marshall, shut up before I tell everyone you have a crush on Zuma!"

The pups fell silent. They looked at Marshall, Rocky, then Zuma, whose jaw was dropped

"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," Rocky said victoriously, still avoiding eye contact with the pups.

"Rocky… you promised!" Marshall was hurt.

"So did you!"

"Marshall, you… you know I was messing with you, right? I didn't think you actually liked him," Chase cleared up.

"I don't care about that…"

Marshall got up, threw his cigar at Rocky, and went into the Patroller. Rocky felt awful.

"That backfired. I tried to help him. I feel bad now."

"That's kind of an ass move. You don't just tell everyone about his crush like that. You made Zuma uncomfortable too! They were such good friends, and now you might've ruined it!" Chase scolded.

Chase walked into the Patroller as well. The rest of the pups except Rocky, Everest, and Zuma followed. Zuma went to the very edge of the tent and just stared off towards the amphitheater.

"I'm gonna tear this band apart!" Rocky whimpered.

"It's not you, the pups are tearing themselves apart. We're at that stage where we're making a big transformation, mentally, and with the way our lives are going. Puberty while under the pressure of fame and a band is going to be tough," Everest comforted, "But don't get me wrong, that was a dick move."

There was a short pause.

"You still love me right?"

"Always! Forever! Now come here!"

"No! You're wet!"

Everest splashed Rocky anyway.

"Ah! Wet! Wet!"

She jumped out of the cooler and hugged him.

"The only time a hug is torment"

Everest just squeezed him tighter so the water would absorb into his fur. Like transferring water from sponge to sponge.

"Eww! The wet dog smell!"

"I love you! No matter how much you ruin your friends lives!"

"I love you… no matter how much you ruin my life!"

Everest walked into the Patroller, and Rocky and Zuma were left alone outside. Rocky approached Zuma, whose attention was still on the amphitheater.

"Hey Zuma… uh… are you mad at me? If so, I don't blame you."

Rocky didn't get an answer.

"I only did that to benefit you two. I thought it'd be best. I thought you two would… I don't know… kiss?"

He still didn't get an answer.

"Alright, I don't expect you to forgive me, but just know I'm sorry!"

"Why should you be?"

"I just feel bad!"

"You did me a favowr!"

"I did?"

Out of nowhere, Zuma hugged Rocky.

"A huge favowr! Thank you!"

"Oh… I thought you were mad!"

Zuma let go.

"We're playing in San Fwancisco this yeawr, wight?"

"Well, technically Mountain View."

"Close enough! It's the LGBT capital of Amewrica, maybe the wowrld! I'm going to kiss him wight thewre on the stage!"

"In front of that many people? Are you sure? I wouldn't even kiss Everest in front of that many people!"

"What's the wowrst that can happen? We'rwe tuwrning into teenagewrs, our emotions are going cwazy! You'wre 9! Look at you and Evewest!"

"Pups start puberty before humans do, therefore we start intimate relationships earlier."

"My point exactly! Pups awre a lot more mature than humans awre at 6 yeawrs, we naturally matuwre fastewr!"

"Where is this conversation going?"

"I was hoping you'd know."

They also walked into the Patroller. The pups were doing various things, but Marshall was curled up in his bunk.

"Marshall, I'm sorry! I thought it would help you!" Rocky apologized

"I'll be ready for the show if that's what you're trying to ask."

"I'm not worried about that! I'm worried about you!"

"I'll be fine when you leave!"

Rocky felt horrible. His best friend just turned away from him.

"Best friends… always. I know you hate my guts, but if you need my support, if you need someone, I'm always here for you!"

"Everest sure seems to be a sufficient replacement."

"Don't think that way! Don't think she could ever replace you! I love her, but I love you too… just like I loved Ryder!"

"Don't use Ryder to try to make us feel sorry for ourselves!"

He finally turned over to face Rocky.

"Isn't that why we formed this band!? To not feel sorry for ourselves!? To stay united!? To not let Ryder's death drag us down!?"

Marshall sat up as the pups' attention was shifted to him and Rocky.

"Of course! I didn't mean it like that way! I just wanted to prove my point! You're my best friend! I can't stress it enough!"

"You're not mine!"

Marshall turned around to face the window rather than Rocky. Rocky put his paw on Marshall's shoulder.

"I don't blame you for being mad. I don't expect you to forgive me soon. Just know that even if you don't talk to me for five years, I'll still be there if you come to me for help. I'll be there at your side!"

There was a short pause of anticipation between every pup. After trying to figure out what was going to happen, Marshall put his paw on Rocky's.

"It won't take five years to forgive you!"

"Just know, I'll always be willing to be your best friend again!"

"You still are! I'm just… enraged at you right now."

"And I understand why."

"But… I'll probably have forgiven you by the time we get to San Francisco."

"Oh you'll definitely forgive me after San Francisco!"

"You think it'll take that long?"

"Knowing you, no!"

"San Francisco, full of hippies, hobos, Chinese people, and gays!" Chase said.

"Technically we'll be playing in Mountain View," Skye corrected.

"Close enough!" Every pup said.

The nice thing about the Vegas show, is they get a two day break, so they get to spend a day in Vegas before heading to LA.

"Las Vegas Nevada!

AAAARRRRRGGHH! GO!"

They put on a show that wasn't worth forgetting, however, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. After a day of roaming the strip, visiting casinos, and sneaking some slots, they were off to LA.

AN: Just an FYI, production will be slow for a little while. I got a job working 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, so I'm not going to have much free time


	22. Bay Area Blues

They pulled up to Los Angeles. It was a breeze compared to Las Vegas. It was cooler, it was still hot, but it was cooler. There wasn't any kind of controversy among the pups, but Marshall still hung away from the rest of the pups, embarrassed, scared they thought different of him. They really didn't think different. In fact they felt bad because they had made fun of him liking Zuma, then finding out he actually did made them want take back everything. They also were also fairly annoyed with Rocky.

Marshall was only in solitude up until showtime. When they took the stage, however, he was just as social and talkative as before Rocky revealed his crush. Once the pups took the stage, it was as if they were all worry free. LA went into the books, having just as good of a show as the rest. The problem was playing the same 15 song was already starting to get annoying, and they weren't even off the west coast yet.

Luckily in Southern California, it didn't get cold at night like it did in Seattle and Idaho, but it wasn't still 90 degrees like in Las Vegas. After the tradition of Marshall and Rubble passing out, and the rest of the pups being exhausted, yet still tearing down, it was time to head to Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California, (My local amphitheater.) The pups just referred to it as San Francisco, as did seemingly every other band, when it's actually closer to San Jose, and plenty of people travel 2 hours just to get there, (inland struggles, but hey it's less populated, so it's alright.)

This was going to be a hell of a night, especially for Marshall and Zuma. Marshall had no idea what was coming. Marshall and Rocky happened to be the first ones up. As they walked outside, they felt the cool air of the bay.

"Here it is… the LGBT capital of the world," Rocky said.

"Yeah… I guess…"

"Look, I know the whole thing about Zuma upset you. I'm sorry, I was just trying to help. I wouldn't have said it if I knew you were going to take it this way."

"It's not that… well it is… but… my sexuality Rocky! I'm attracted to a male! My friend! A puphood friend at that!"

"There's nothing wrong with that. I don't know why you think there is!"

"My dad was ultra conservative. You had to be straight or you're going to hell! You were going to grow up, marry a girl and have pups! Oh, he had speculation. I guess… that's why he abandoned me."

Rocky fell silent. His face turned blank. Marshall couldn't figure out why. That wasn't one of his worries though.

"What worries me the most… what if my dad's right? What if I do burn? No… what's worse is… Ryder… he'd be disappointed!"

"For the love of shit Marshall! It's not wrong! It's fine to love another guy! It's morally acceptable nowadays, and spiritually acceptable ever since Jesus died on the cross!"

"That's easy for you to say…"

Rocky's patience was getting drained by the sentence. Maybe he had too much sympathy for gay pups? Or maybe he just felt this way because Marshall is his best friend. Either way, he just wished Marshall would understand it's not wrong.

"Ryder loves us all. He's going to be with us until God calls us home."

Marshall had a hard time believing Rocky.

"Once your muzzle touches his, it'll be so much different. You won't have this worry, just a desire to be with him."

"I'm going to find a girlfriend. There's no him. Do you think Chase already took Skye?"

"Chase doesn't like Skye and neither do you!"

"Actually, have you seen the way he looks at her lately?"

"That's not the point… once you finally kiss HIM, you'll feel way different!"

"It'll be different than it was for you and Everest. Besides… I don't know…"

"I'm about 5 seconds from punching you!"

Chase walked out and joined them.

"You apologize yet, Rocky?" Chase asked.

"I already did… multiple times!"

"Will everything be ok?"

"I'll be fine, but I don't know if Zuma will see me the same way again," Marshall said.

"Well, I guess we can't stay mad at Rocky forever."

"It was one mistake. Marshall broke his promise, so I broke mine. I honestly thought it would help, but it made things worse," Rocky explained.

"Marshall didn't break the promise. Everest was the one that blew it," Chase corrected.

"Yeah I guess. She had to make that wet joke."

Marshall and Chase both looked at Rocky.

"So under the circumstances, you do like the wetness!"

"Honestly guys, I didn't feel it. I felt her saliva on my face more."

They just stared trying to get more info. When your bro scores, you always want to know what happened.

"I'm not going to give details. I'm not that kind of pup. She's already embarrassed."

"Every pup our age wants nothing more than what you got! You gotta brag!"

"Show me where that is in the rulebook, and I will."

Rubble walked out and joined them.

"What're you saying about me now?"

"Nice falling out of your snare drum harness yesterday," Chase mocked.

"That was embarrassing enough, I don't need to be reminded!"

Eventually every pup was outside. They were lounging under the canvas. Although it wasn't hot, it still wasn't fun to have the sun beat down on them.

"We finally leave the west coast after this show!" Skye said.

"Salt Lake City after this! Then Phoenix, then Albuquerque! Nothing but desert for five days!" Tracker added.

"You should be used to that kind of terrain!" Chase joked.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've been in México!? I've been in the jungle for a while now!"

Rocky was scared for Detroit. Not necessarily the city, just Michigan. It was related with his German grudge, and his sympathy for the gay population. He absolutely refused to think about it. Instead he thought about the show tonight. That was going to be happy. Marshall's misery will only last a few more hours.

"I'm not gonna lie, I feel more homesick than I did last year," Marshall said.

The pups all knew why and didn't really say anything. It just made Rocky feel worse.

"What is home? Haven't we been homesick since Ryder died?" Rocky attempted to comfort.

"Adventuwre Bay is home! It always will be!" Zuma said.

"Hometown!

One two three!

Hometown!

Look at me!" Skye and Everest sang.

It turned into an all pup serenade.

"Visitors always come and go!

Fun things to do here high and low!"

"That's the kind of closeness we need both on and off the stage!" Everest motivated.

As bands continued to play on the small stages, which was on what was normally a parking lot, it was getting closer to being time for the pups to take the stage. Marshall knew it pissed a good amount of people off when the bands yell San Francisco, so he kept it neutral.

"California!

AAAAARRRRGGHHHH! GO!"

Zuma was trying to think of the right time to make his move. It would be at a time when the crowd was starting to get tired, at that point, they're a little more focused on the stage rather than moshing. The concert passed normally, with a lot of the same things as before. It was so badass and new for the crowd, but the pups were already used to the adrenaline rush their setup causes. They were starting to get sore, not during the shows, but they felt it the mornings after the shows. They were also starting to sustain minor injuries from stage wear.

As Tracker was running throughout the stage during a part he didn't play, he fell down the stairs, in LA, when Rubble fell out of his harness, he hit his head when he fell, Everest accidentally hit Rocky in the face with the head of her guitar, when Chase discarded a broken stick, he threw it in the air, then came back down and hit him, Marshall repeatedly falls, but because he's Marshall, he doesn't get hurt. It was little things that started to take a big effect.

"Flying high!

As we stand ready for battle!

Flying high!

We leave behind old morals!

Flying high!

Walking into the pits!

Flying high!

Cause we know it's lit!"

As Flying High ended, and Skye landed. Zuma figured now was the best time. He was so excited for this, now he's anxious and kinda scared.

"You know, I remember playing here last year! You all were crazy! And supportive! I just…" Marshall was interrupted by Zuma.

"Hey Mawshall, I got something to say!"

"Really?"

"So we'wre in the Bay Awea, the LGBT capital of the wowrld, am I wight?"

The crowd roared, of the 22,000 people there, not a single anti gay individual.

"So I figuwred what bettawr show to do this, than this one?"

"What are you talking about?"

The rest of the pups were confused. Zuma was scared now. He was shaking. Sure Marshall liked him back, but what if he changed his mind. Or what of he and Rocky are just messing around about the crush? He'd be making a complete fool of himself. As much as he wanted to hesitate, the more he did, the more of a jackass he made himself look. Rocky caught on.

"Do it Zuma!"

Zuma stopped hesitating. He ran straight to Marshall and kissed him. The crowd fell silent, so did the pups. Marshall was in complete shock to do anything. Zuma couldn't believe he did it! He kissed Marshall! His muzzle… it felt… right! Marshall didn't have a thought process, or control of his body. He was trying to process if this is real. Zuma pulled away and the crowd roared, but the pups remained silent. None of them knew what to do. Zuma broke the pups' silence.

"I do like you back Mawshall! All youwr worwwy was in vain!"

Marshall stayed silent, but kissed Zuma. This time, it was equal, and romantic. They kissed as the bay area wind blew around their ears. The crowd roared as they kissed for about 10 seconds. They pulled away and just stared at each other, Zuma rubbing Marshall's face.

"Hey Marshall… not to say I told you so, but… I told you!" Rocky said.

"Rocky, I can't thank you enough!" Marshall praised.

"I love you Mawshall!"

"I love you too Zuma!"

They hugged each other. Chase did a drum fill to celebrate their love.

"Well, I uh… This is my lover! Wow… I can't believe it, I'm dating a guy!"

The crowd roared in approval.

"So I lucked out, but sometimes the warning shot is a hit!"

They resumed the show. During Ryder's song, Marshall and Zuma seemed to mourn less, knowing they had each other. That was the case with Rocky and Everest after their fun time too. As the Bay Area continued to bless Marshall and Zuma, the show slowly came to end.

"Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

We've fallen now we rise!

Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

Having the time of our lives!

Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

We're family in our eyes!

Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

When it's happiness or die!"

Marshall had his arm on Zuma.

"Happiness or die!"

The song ended, and the pups stood at the front of the stage.

"Bay Area! Thank you so much!"

The pups did their thing, throwing stuff into the crowd, and standing victoriously as Marshall and Zuma kissed again. Unlike the previous shows, Marshall didn't pass out. Instead, he and Zuma snuck into the Patroller, both to avoid being interviewed, and… to make Robodog think the hydraulic problem on the Patroller had come back. Being short Zuma, the pups made Rubble stay up and help, which he was perfectly capable of doing. Needless to say, Marshall and Zuma can throw out their boxes of jimmy hats.

It was off to Salt Lake City, the start of their desert trek.

AN: Wow this chapter made it seem like I like it here in the Bay Area lol. Once again, sorry for slow chapter production, it feels like I'm always at work


	23. The Desert Grind, the Mountain Climb

It was a 12 hour drive from Mountain View to Salt Lake City. With that long of a drive, there was a free day in between. It was much needed in case a band's tour bus broke down, and it was much needed for the pups to get a break. Rocky didn't get as much sleep as the rest. He stayed out, sat, and watched the black of the desert night pass by. He didn't know what it was, but the way the Patroller rode, the way it turned, adding to the night, and occasional light he sees on the freeway, it just hypnotised him.

The interior of the Patroller was dimly lit with the overhead fluorescent lights. It was lit enough for him to see, but dim enough so other drivers couldn't see in the Patroller. The windows were also very tinted. He used the time up alone to write, draw, listen to music, and whatever kept him happy. Nevada was nothing but desert and a straight drive through. Luckily Robodog didn't need sleep. Eventually, at damn near dawn, Rocky did go to sleep.

Waking up in Salt Lake City was nice. Although Utah was the desert, it wasn't absolutely miserable like Las Vegas. The pups set up canvases. They were going to be at that amphitheater until tomorrow night, then down to Phoenix they go, with more desert, then through the desert to Albuquerque, then to Denver, where once they get close to the Rockies, no more desert! Zuma was about to throw away his and Marshall's boxes of rubbers, when Rocky intervened.

"What are you doing with those?"

"I'm thwowing them out! Mawshall and I don't have to worwwy about accidentally getting the othewr pwegnant!"

"Do you know the uses for those things? They can be used for a lot more! Don't lose it, reuse it!"

"Well… Hewre you go!"

"Hey, let's prank Robodog!"

"With a wubbewr? What awre you going to do?"

Rocky and Zuma walked outside. Rocky's plan was messed up. He put the rubber onto the tailpipe of the Patroller.

"Next time Robodog starts up the Patroller, it'll sound quiet because none of the exhaust is going into the air, and when it fills up too much, it'll make a loud pop!"

"That's messed up!... but funny!"

Throughout the course of the Salt Lake City show, tension was starting to build up between the pups, little things were starting to become a big deal. Being close quarters with each other and stressed over every show, they started to… get sick of each other. Tension was building between Marshall and Rubble, Rocky and Tracker, Marshall and Chase, Rocky and Skye, Everest and Chase and… well, needless to say, every pup but Zuma eventually developed an enemy. Luckily the tension will calm down once the tour is over.

"I certainly couldn't covet

The warning shot was a hit!

Salt Lake City make some noise!"

The crowd roared for the pups.

"He went for a…

…gether with a range!

Couldn't quite cu…

From the br…"

Marshall's mic was starting to cut out.

"Hey I'm ha… ic proble…"

Marshall waved the mic to the technicians to try to get them to fix the problem. The crowd took over to sing the lyrics for him. The technicians gave a thumbs up and Marshall was able to sing again.

"When I came back to you!

There was one thing you could do!

Get this, you'll never get me

The warning shot was weak!

Salt Lake City sing with me!

I am the blow that ma…"

The mic cut out again. Marshall was already pissed about Rubble throwing mallets at him, and Chase kicking him. He slammed the mic onto the ground and went to get a new one. After he got the new one, he disconnected the transmitter from the old mic and threw it into the crowd. When Hometown played, Tracker harassed Rocky, playing the accordion right in his ear. Chase threw a discarded stick right as Everest, so she he him with the head of her guitar. Everest and Skye got into a bit of an argument, and Skye hit Everest. Rocky did NOT take kindly to that.

Very little of the crowd noticed the tension. Thankfully, most of the ones that did thought it was staged. After that show, the pups were embarrassed, unsure what to say to each other. That night, when Robodog started the Patroller to head out, it started quiet, then out of nowhere, there was a huge pop. That woke up all the pups, and probably bands on nearby busses. Rocky felt really bad, especially after the mind of show they had. He had to tell Robodog what he did, but Robodog took it well.

Phoenix wasn't much better when it came to the tension. The heat was bad too, it was more like Las Vegas than Salt Lake City. Albuquerque was a bit of a downfall too. Luckily for the pups, they only hated each other on the stage, they seemed fine just hanging out. They made the trek through the Rockies and into Denver. They were under the canvas and had hotdogs on the grill.

"Hey Zuma, can I have a cigar?" Marshall asked.

"We wan out in Albuquewrque."

"So… no cigars?" Chase asked.

"We can see if anyone has any, or we can find a store that sells cigars," Rocky said.

"Yeah, but where are there stores? Did you see any coming in?" Rubble wondered.

Zuma got up, "Time fowr a wild goose chase. Let's go find some."

The pups went to go look for a store, Marshall asked other bands for cigars. Finally, Zuma was able to restock his case for the pups, and Marshall got a cigar from a band. Or so he thought. They all met back up at the Patroller.

"Our luxury is back!" Chase said.

"You found someone to give you a cigawr, Mawshall?"

"Yeah, there's some nice people here!"

Zuma observed Marshall's cigar. It was horribly wrapped. It wasn't a good one.

"Hewre Mawshall have this one, that one sucks."

"I'm good, this'll be good enough. That's weird, the inside of this one is green. Aren't the inside of cigars usually brown?"

The pups all looked at Marshall. They realized why it was wrapped so poorly.

"Mawshall don't light that!"

Before Zuma could finish his warning, Marshall lit it. When he puffed it, it tasted way different from a cigar!

"Eww! It doesn't taste right!"

"That's because that's a joint! I should have known by how poowrly it was wapped!"

The pups couldn't believe Marshall didn't know the difference. Zuma tried to take it.

"You have your own Zuma!"

"I don't want it! I'm twying to smash it!"

"I paid $5 for this!"

Zuma gave up.

"You don't pay $5 for a cigawr! Ugh… only in Colowado!"

None of the pups knew what to do or say. Marshall lit a joint and didn't even know.

"I'm starting to feel light! Like… I'm in the sky! I feel like I'm weightless!"

"That's because you're high," Chase said.

"I am! I feel heh, I feel funny!"

"And so it starts. This is a monumental tour," Rubble labeled.

Marshall started laughing at everything.

"Hey… hey Rocky! Remember that plane we saw the other it was just like wooh! Look at me flying!"

"Uh yeah good times," Rocky didn't even recall anything about a plane.

"Man Zuma you are a sexy pup! You know what I'm saying? Like… not in a gay way… but you make me want to do things to you!"

"Yeah Mawshall, that's kinda what happened aftewr San Fwancisco."

"And Rubble man, you play a mean bass!"

"I don't even play bass!" Rubble snapped.

"Don't try to convince me that you don't enjoy playing that squeezy thingy with the piano on the side of it! What is it called? A Civicion?"

"You mean Accordion?" Tracker corrected.

"No, the Accord is the bigger of the two!"

The pups were done with trying to get Marshall to understand. He was higher than a 747 right now.

"Give me the joint Mawshall!" Zuma demanded.

"Heh, you pronounce my name funny! Here's the cigar."

Zuma smashed the joint on the ground.

"Hey! I paid $5 for that! How would you like if I shoved one of your $5 bills into a press!?"

"You love me for it!"

"Damn crooked I do! When I get my paws on you, I'm gonna do stuff that's like… really… it'll either hurt or feel good! I don't know!"

Chase didn't want to know what happened between Marshall and Zuma like he did with Rocky and Everest.

"It's weird to think they condemn two males in Alabama," Skye thought.

"Full of homophobes!" Marshall shouted.

"They do in a lot of southern states, it's not like that in Michigan," Rocky said.

"Why Michigan of any state?" Everest wondered.

"Just an example."

Marshall wouldn't stop laughing.

"Oh I'm so hungry! That's funny!"

"Alwight Mawshall, you should pwobably get a lot of watewr and sleep befowre the show. You wouldn't want to play the show like this."

"You know Zuma? I sound like a broken record, but… I'm gonna fuck you tonight! You know? Like really! Like after San Francisco! Just like as soon as…"

"Alwight Mawshall, I doubt the pups wanna know. And I'm also pwetty suwre Tango doesn't want you explaining it, because the storwy would be too suggestive."

"Who's Tango?"

Me Marshall! You know, the one writing this story, the one that controls what happens!

"You control it? Then can you give me a bag of chips? I'm hungry!"

Marshall got up under his own power, deciding not to be too lazy, and grabbed a large bag of Cheetos to cure his hunger.

"I'm suddenly tired!... I'm about to fall asleep."

"West befowre the show, it's what you need aftewr smoking dope fowr the fiwrst time!"

"You're a dope!"

"I still can't believe you thought that was a cigar!" Chase said.

Marshall didn't reply, he had greened out.

"Goodnight Mawshall!"

The rest of the pups branched off and did their own thing. Zuma was embarrassed about Marshall. He didn't know what he'd be stuck with. Actually he did, he just didn't expect Marshall to be an accidental pothead. Normally, someone would know the difference, but it take Marshall to make that mistake. Marshall woke up about an hour before the show, and luckily he was sober.

The word about Marshall and Zuma had gotten to Denver, and they showed a lot of support for them, especially for the way they came out.

"Denver Colorado!

AAAARRRRGGHHH! GO!"

Marshall remembered sketchy details about earlier, but didn't remember everything. But he eventually felt like a complete idiot as he realized what he had done. He smelled the weed from the crowd, and recognized it as what he tasted from what he thought was an innocent cigar. As the song they were playing finished, he started scolding the other pups.

"Zuma! Why didn't you tell me I accidentally smoked weed?"

"I did."

"Rocky, why didn't you tell me he was trying to tell me!?"

"That wasn't my problem."

"Chase! You're a cop! You should've known.

"I did. I couldn't do anything because I'm not a cop anymore, and it's legal here!"

Luckily Marshall wasn't yelling at them in the microphone.

"Mawshall, did you not see the amount of suppowrt we awre getting? Look at all that LGBT support!"

"Woah, I didn't notice that!"

The rest of the Denver show went on, with tension between the pups, and Marshall feeling like an idiot. The pups trekked into Nebraska, down to Texas, to Louisiana, up through Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana with no problems except stage tension. After that, the tour started getting interesting again.


	24. An Old Acquaintance Severed

Detroit was the next show on the list. This was where Rocky acted weird on the last tour. He didn't act like himself on this tour either. He laid in his bunk, not being social, just huddled up under his blankets. Everest knew something was wrong and climbed into his bunk to comfort him.

"Something is bothering you, I can tell."

"I'm fine, trust me Everest!"

She wrapped her arms around him, and held him close. He just looked at the window, seemingly observing the area.

"You can tell me. Something bothered you last time we were here, and you're acting the same way now."

"It's nothing, I'm just overreacting. It's my anxiety… that's all… I hope."

"Rocky, tell me! No secrets, no dark history hidden! It's between you and me! The others don't have to know!"

Rocky rotated to face Everest and held her tight.

"I don't want to talk about it. It'll make it worse!"

"Worse than sitting here miserable thinking about it?"

"It'll panic you. I'm overreacting, it won't happen?"

"What won't happen!? Tell me damn it! All I want is for you to be happy! Us to be happy! There's tension building between all of us! The two of us can't control the fate of this band, but we can control our relationship! You not telling me these things isn't helping! All I want is to help you, and for us to be able to trust each other and make each other happy!"

He buried his face into her fur. He tried to talk but she couldn't understand him.

"That doesn't help either. You gotta say it to my face, not my fur."

"It's all related. Michigan, getting wet, the grudge against German, and why I have such sympathy for Marshall and Zuma."

"Bad memories? Did this place treat you bad?"

"It's not that I hate Michigan, I'm just scared to be here."

"Just tell me, what is that…"

Marshall barged in, "Hey Rocky! You came up with the blueprints of this reconstruction! Can you help us with figuring out how to put in a sound system?"

"Not now Marshall!" Everest snapped.

"It's alright, I'll help you figure it out."

Everest was starting to lose her patients. She was trying to help Rocky as much as she could, but he was blowing her off. What was he hiding?

"We could probably put speakers here, here, and over here, then put a couple subwoofers here, and put the amps here, then put the audio control system right next to the TV. I also have an idea, mounting personal TVs and audio control in each bunk. Woah! Why didn't I think of that earlier!?"

The pups looked at Rocky shocked.

"You're a genius!" Chase praised.

"What can I say? I'm pretty awesome!"

"So we'll be renovating this thing again?" Rubble complained.

"By the looks of it. I'm thinking what audio system would be best."

"Rockford Fosgate is pretty good, let's do that!" Marshall suggested.

"No! No! None of that… brand!" Rocky freaked out.

"Rockford Fosgate makes amazing equipment!" Tracker said.

"Stop! No!"

"Ok, now you hate Rockford Fosgate? What's with this one?" Skye wondered.

Rocky panicked and ran back to his bunk.

"Look what you did! I hope you're proud!" Everest yelled.

She ran to make sure Rocky was ok.

"What'd I do?" Marshall wondered.

None of the pups knew. Rocky just freaked out, and Everest got pissed at the rest of the pups because of it.

"What happened? Are you ok?" Everest asked.

"Can we leave?"

She hugged him.

"We're playing this show! Whatever happens, we all have each other's backs! And you have me to protect you! You think I'll let anything hurt you?"

"I don't think you can take out my inner most fear."

"You've never seen me go rogue."

"I don't want you getting hurt! Leave me to face it alone!"

"That'll never happen."

As it started to get dark, Rocky became himself. All the pups were outside lounging as the sun was setting in the Detroit skyline. Detroit sure did look nice at night, even if it was a dump. Killswitch Engage could be heard finishing up their show. It was fairly faint from the band parking lot, but still easily audible. The lights of the venue were starting to overwhelm the skyline, and the parking lot was now lit by parking lot lights and generators. The pups were grilling hotdogs and having a good time.

"You know, we've been arguing over a lot of stupid things lately. We've been fighting over little things. This isn't why we formed this band!" Rocky said.

"We fowrmed this band fowr Wyder. If he saw how we wewre on the stage… he'd be disappointed," Zuma added.

"We let the small things get the best of us. I throw sticks at Everest out of rage!" Chase admitted.

"You do what!?" Rocky became defensive, "If I catch you doing that I'm going to…"

Rocky caught himself overreacting, exactly what they were talking about.

"Nevermind… ugh… bad habits die hard."

"How do you think Ryder would feel about me and Zuma?" Marshall asked.

"He probably thinks it's the best thing ever! I bet he's proud!" Skhye said.

"I know it's a horwible time to think of him, but I could feel him as Mawshall and I went to my bunk togethewr aftewr the San Fwancisco show. I could feel him… as if he was telling me it was ouwr fate… like we wewre meant to be!" Zuma reminisced.

"So basically you thought of Ryder as you got filled up by Marshall?" Chase asked.

Zuma sat quiet. He didn't think of it that way. The rest of the pups laughed.

"This is what we need! This closeness we had when we first started!" Rubble said.

"So it is true," a strange voice said.

All the pups except Rocky looked back wondering who it was. Rocky stood frozen. It was his nightmare come true! He slowly turned around. All the pups noticed Rocky's ears drop and his tail planted between his legs. He trembled hard.

"I see you're doing well for yourself. I take it this is your group of butt buddies?"

"D… Dad? How… how did you know I was here?"

The pups caught on to what was happening immediately.

"You ran away from home you little shit! You never called me! You told me where you were going! What the hell is wrong with you!"

Rocky's dad talked with a German accent.

"I… I'm sorry dad! I… It was an accident, and I…"

"Stop stuttering and talk to me like a man! You've always been a pussy!"

"Why would you have a son… if you were just going to… to treat him like this!?"

Rocky was already on the verge of tears.

"You don't question how I do things!"

Rocky's dad saw the cooler full of water and dumped it onto him.

"We're speaking German now, Rockford! Your friends don't need to know what we're saying!"

The pups now realized why Rocky freaked out from Rockford Fosgate. Everest immediately stood by his side, helping his confidence.

"My name's not Rockford anymore! It's Rocky! Has been ever since I ran away! Ever since I found my human!"

(Conversation is now in German, but I'm going to write it in English, assuming y'all don't speak German)

"So you were raised by a human? No wonder why you're even more of a pussy now!"

Rocky's tail moved from between his legs to a hook position.

"Put your tail back between your legs when you address me!"

"I'm not scared of you anymore! I don't know why I was scared when you got here! I went through a lot in the last two years! My human died, the I worked my ass off to be one of the most well known pups in the world! Not to mention I had to deal with your hell… Heinrich…" Rocky transitioned back to English, "Or should I call you… Terry?"

Rocky's dad was born with the name Terry, but because not only did he hate that name, but he also wanted to embrace being born on Germany, he changed his name to Heinrich. Name changes run through the family.

Heinrich went into an attack stance, "You don't call me that!"

"Oh sorry Terry, did I offend you?"

Heinrich didn't speak in English, "You were always disobedient! You were always a horrible pup! You blamed me for abusing you! You only have yourself to blame! You always disappointed me! You were always a pussy! You'd rather find junk to make useless gadgets out of rather than weld like a man! Work on the car like a man!"

"I was 5! I was never defiant! Neither were my brothers and sisters and you abused them! They ran away before I did, and you took it out on me!"

"Now I'm kinda wondering, clearly you gotta be gay! Which one of these pups is your boyfriend?"

Rocky proudly walked to Everest and said in English, "This is my boyfriend!"

Everest was confused.

"Oh yuck! A tomboy! Might as well be a boyfriend!" Heinrich said in English.

That deeply offended Everest. Rocky very well knew that and ran to attack Heinrich. Luckily Chase was there to hold him back.

"LET ME GO CHASE! YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING TERRY! EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO ME! AND WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT EVEREST! NO ONE HURTS EVEREST!"

"Let him at me!" Heinrich challenged.

Everest had to calm Rocky down, and eventually Chase was able to let go of his collar.

"So… this is why you hate getting wet? Why you hate Gewrman, the name Wockford and Michigan?"

"Hey, learn to talk!"

"I can do what I want!"

Heinrich punched Zuma. Rocky's blueish gray fur was swallowed out by the red of his anger. Heinrich backed away, never seeing that in him. None of the pups had ever seen Rocky rage… there's a first for everything. Rocky saw nothing but red and crosshairs on Heinrich. Chase tried to hold him back, but he just plowed right through him. Everest couldn't even calm him down. The pups thought Heinrich was about to get destroyed.

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

As Rocky got to Heinrich, all they saw was a swing from Heinrich's paw, then Rocky fall to the ground.

"That sure backfired didn't it?"

Rocky got back up with his ears down and tail between his legs.

"You will always be a disappointment! You will never make me proud! I don't care how famous you get! Your friends are pathetic! Your music sucks, and it's a good thing your human died!"

"You know what dad? Fuck you!"

Heinrich punched Rocky again. This time Everest went into rage mode. Chase got help from the other five pups to hold her back. Heinrich was about to Challenge Everest when a security guard grabbed him.

"Alright, you're going!" the security guard yelled.

"Remember Rocky, I'm your dad! I follow your every move! I will punish you for running away! Oh and don't let your boyfriend rule over you!"

"YOU'LL BE DEAD BEFORE YOU CAN TOUCH HIM!" Everest roared.

"We'll just see about that!"

Heinrich was escorted away from the venue and the pups were able to release their grip on Everest. Rocky gradually got onto his paws and walked to the Patroller. He went straight to his bunk and cried. Everest was enraged.

"If I see him again, I'm going to be the last thing he sees! He better pray! I'm going to hunt him down and he will pay!"

"That's not going to solve anything! Do you think…" Rubble was interrupted.

"Of course it'll solve everything! Rocky's biggest traumas are because of that prick! I'm going to resolve this!"

"Rocky needs you, focus on comforting him rather than killing his dad," Skye suggested.

"You're right! I'll make sure he's ok."

"Hurry too, Slayer is half way through their set!" Marshall observed.

"We can delay the show a couple minutes!"

Everest walked into the Patroller and to Rocky, who was bawling.

"I'm useless to this world! My dad's right! I'm a disappointment! I'm nothing! I'm a guitar player…"

"Don't think for a minute that monster is right! You're loved! Your life is great! He's jealous, he's not treating you any different now!"

"He… he always did this… I think he's right! I… I'm contemplating suicide! It…"

Everest grabbed Rocky.

"You will not commit suicide! Your life will not end anytime soon! You're needed! You're needed by this band, you're needed by the fans… you're needed by me! If you kill yourself, you will be losing it all! You'll ruin me!"

"How could you want me? I have no self esteem, my dad's right, I am a pussy. I'm a mess, there's nothing to like about me!"

Everest didn't know what to say. None of that was true, but how could she get it across to him? She just hugged him, tight, and made sure he felt the love.

"None of that is true! You have more self esteem than any other pup here! It's because of your dad you feel that way! You're also just a pup, you're not expected to be manly! Besides, look at that Suburban you drive! That's not a pussy vehicle!"

"But no one likes me!"

Everest hugged him tighter.

"You're loved by everyone! Think about how much the pups love you, think about how much the fans love you! And how much I love you!"

"I don't know… I just have faced so much from my dad. I thought I had finally seen the last of him when I got to Adventure Bay. When Ryder held me in his arms for the first time, I could feel a life change. I could feel love… two years ago that was taken away from me. And now… my dad's back. I don't want to love on!"

"I'll kill him before I let him ruin your life anymore! You're living the dream! We're platinum! We're rich and famous! You can't let him ruin it for you! You have all the pups by your side! Your friends! We're family in our eyes!"

She was finally starting to get to him.

"Am I really the greatest to ever exist?"

"Yes your are! And I love you!"

They were muzzle to muzzle. They had grown so close in the last year, it seemed like they needed each other, and now they can't live without each other. They leaned in and kissed. He was so glad she was there for him. If she wasn't, he'd probably be dying right now.

"How long do we have until the show?" Rocky asked.

"About a half hour."

"Do you think we have time?"

"There's never too much of a time crunch!"

As Rocky and Everest did their thing, the pups prepared the stage and the instruments. Rocky and Everest got backstage about 10 minutes before the show.

"Detroit Michigan!

AAAARRRRGGGHHH! GO!"

Rocky wished to forget his reuniting with his dad, but the show, and his time with Everest before the show wasn't something to be forgotten.

AN: I got laid off of my 60 hour a week job, so I'll be posting more regularly again, at least for the time being. So Trump got elected... I know that's very irrelevant, but I'm pretty skeptical about it. I'm just glad the damn election is over, no more political ads ruining our lives!


	25. Hick town Surprise

The pups were quicker to pack up in Detroit than they normally were. They wanted to get out of there before Heinrich came back. Everything Rocky had despised all made sense now. His dad drenched him as punishment, which is why he hates water, his dad was German, which is why German is skewed, he lived in Michigan, which is why he was scared to go, and the name his dad gave him was Rockford, which is why he freaked out from Rockford Fosgate.

Rocky sat up front with Robodog as they headed out. He wanted to make sure they were out of range of his dad before he could sleep. Marshall, Zuma, and Everest sat up with him.

"So most of what you went through was explained by Terry showing up, but what happened throughout your childhood?" Everest asked.

"What you saw was my childhood in a nutshell. He abused me both verbally and physically. He verbally abused me in both English and German, he would then abuse me further for having an American accent. My ear notch is from him."

"So you're actually American?" Marshall asked.

"Yeah, I was born about two hours outside of Detroit, some small town."

"How did you end up in Adventuwre Bay?" Zuma asked.

Zuma's face was a bit swollen from Heinrich punching him.

"I had always wanted to go to Seattle. I wanted to run away and go to Seattle. My brother and sisters fled before I did. Unlike me, they didn't have plans. They ran and scattered. I don't know what happened to them, but now I'm having speculations…"

"Speculations?"

"I think he went after them. He was heartless enough to kill one of my brothers. I don't doubt him going after the rest and killing them out of revenge. I hope they got lucky enough to get picked up by humans. But even if they're alive, I'm the easiest to track if that really is what he's doing."

"Maybe he's just trying to find his pups to make things right? He would've killed you if that was the case wouldn't he have?" Marshall suggested.

"I don't know. He either spared me, or didn't want to kill me because of the witnesses."

"You nevewr finished youwr emigwation storwy," Zuma said.

"Oh yeah, so I saw a way out. My next door neighbor helped me get out one night. There was a human down the road that commuted to Detroit. I hitched a ride into his truck, and when I got to Detroit, I ran to the Amtrak station. I snuck onto a train that was going to Vancouver, and it would stop in Seattle on the way. I had to hide from conductors, or pose as a pet. I missed the Seattle stop. I don't know how, we were there for an hour. I panicked and knew as soon as we hit the Canadian border. I was discovered. They kicked me off on the next stop, which happened to be Adventure Bay. I went to the lookout because it looked like the Space Needle. That was before Zuma or Rubble came along."

"Or me," Everest said.

"Or you!"

"Rocky's reason for running away if better than yours, Zuma!" Marshall said.

"Shut up, I didn't wun away! I was mad that my pawents wouldn't get me a pool and I took a walk, and I found Wyder. I accidentally told him I didn't have a home, and he pwomised I could swim whenevewr I wanted!"

"So you joined the Paw Patrol and never got homesick?" Everest asked.

"Oh I did get homesick, I missed my family, I still do. As much as I wanna say I wegwet what I did, especially when Wyder died, I weally don't."

"You woulda never met me!" Marshall said.

"And that would've sucked! I love you! And I love the two of you as well!"

Now Rocky was curious about Everest.

"What happened to you? Why did you live alone in the arctic?"

"It was an assignment. In my village, we were competing for alpha snow pup, and one of the things we had to do was survive a winter cycle alone in the wilderness. I got really lonely with nothing but penguins keeping me company. I got excited when Jake came, especially when I rescued him! We got a big bump in assignment credit of we rescued someone. I was really hesitant to leave because I didn't want to just go AWOL and have my family worried sick. I also had a few sentimental things in my igloo."

"And you just left all that behind to come with us?" Rocky asked.

"I go back and visit my family all the time with Jake. I was also able to get the stuff out of my igloo."

"Wait, you visit your family on the arctic? Why don't we know about this?"

"It didn't really seem important. I kinda thought you knew. I wasn't going to leave my family for good! I love my dad!"

"Well someone has a good relationship with their dad," Marshall pouted.

"I wish I could see mine!" Zuma whimpered.

After a few hours of reminiscing, and making sure they were out of Michigan, the four went to bed. Everest didn't want to leave Rocky alone, so she kept him company. They cuddled, which really help comfort him. Marshall and Zuma saw them cuddling and decided to do the same. Despite being close, they never actually cuddled, they never had the time, and they were always too tired after the shows. Now they finally did, and it just bonded them, it made them love each other more!

Playing in Ohio and Tennessee with no problems. Finally the tour tension was starting to ware off. Either that, or the pups were just too tired to really let things bother them. The Atlanta show was something, a little something for Skye because Georgia bordered Alabama. Zuma and Marshall were getting interviewed in Atlanta.

"You're about ⅔ through your tour cycle, is that right?" the interviewer asked.

"Yeah something like that," Marshall said.

"How have you liked your tour so far?"

"It's been… interwesting…" Zuma said.

"Well, you two seemed to have developed an intimate relationship during this tour, how has that been?"

Zuma nudged Marshall.

"It's taken off so much stwess, ouwr interwactions with each othewr have been less awkwawrd, and it's help us cope with the stwess this tour put us through," Zuma said.

"Oh really? Any problems between you two yet?"

"Mawshall can be an idiot sometimes. He smoked a joint thinking it was a cigawr."

"Hey, you could've told me before I did!"

"I did tell you!"

"Alright, so here's your dysfunctional couple of the day!" the interviewer mocked, "Anything else?"

"We smell awful! No mattewr how much we bathe in the Patwoller, we smell bad! The filth won't come out of ouwr fuwr! Thankfully we have a salon back at home we go to!" Zuma complained.

"Is it weird that… your bad smell kinda attracts me?" Marshall wondered.

"As much as I wanna say it is weiwrd, there's odd things about you I feel the same way with."

"So how would you describe your stage design?" the interviewer said not wanting to know.

"It's getting old. We've played this show 20 times, Seattle saw the best of it when it pumped up our adrenaline the way it did for the crowd, but it's not anything new for us now," Marshall said.

"Ask us aftewr Seattle and we would've had a totally differwent answewr."

While they continued being interviewed, the rest of the pups were under the canvass doing whatever.

"I remember Georgia from my puppyhood, but I never went to Atlanta until last year," Skye said.

"You and Rocky are from America and I never even left Canada until last year," Rubble said.

"Tracker's been here, he had to jump the border twice to get to a Canadian jungle," Chase joked.

"So we're the Border Patrol? Not the Paw Patrol?" Tracker adsked.

"Recruited by Donald Trump," Rocky added.

"And he still hasn't built that wall!" Everest observed.

"Tracker's family is over there, he can't!" Chase said.

"I'm about to punch you!"

"Punch me like Heinrich punched Zuma?"

"Too soon," Rocky stopped.

As they continued to affectionately assault each other, Skye stood up sniffing the air. She picked up some scents… could it be? It took the rest of the pups a minute, but they realized Skye was observing the air.

"Skye? What's going on?" Chase asked.

"Shh! I think… something's setting of my nose!"

"Me?"

"No, you don't smell that bad!"

That wasn't the answer Chase wanted. She followed her nose around the Patroller, towards the entrance, where a human and couple of pups were getting access granted.

"It… it's them… IT'S THEM!"

She took off running towards them, leaving the rest of the pups confused.

"Ron! Mom! Dad!"

Skye ran and jumped right into Ron's arms.

"You r'member me!"

"Of course I do! I remember you! I remember the truck! I remember the farm!"

"Well I sure hope you r'member your family!"

Skye was extremely skeptical. They abandoned her. Ron put her down so she could greet them. She wasn't sure what to say.

"We're proud of you Skye!" her dad said.

"We're sorry about everything, can you forgive us?" her mom asked.

Her brothers and sisters all greeted her.

"Well, thanks for coming to see me! It's been a while, and I've been through a lot!"

She had no idea what to say. Frankly, she was really only excited to see Ron, and maybe the farm and the truck again. Ron knelt down to hug Skye again.

"Why did you run away? You said goodbye when y'all left for a family trip, and you didn't come back."

"I didn't run away."

Chase wanted so bad to make fun of Ron's accent.

"You didn't? What happened?"

Her parents never told him! She could feel them begging her not to say. Once Ron released his grip, she walked over to her parents.

"Why did you abandon me?"

"Y'all did what!?"

The explanation process would be a while. They expected it. Skye's brothers and sisters looked guilty too.

"Do you remember always wanting to fly? You developed the love for flight with Ron and in the truck?" her mom asked.

"Of course I do! It was one of my best memories, and something I did for a living for three years!"

Zuma and Marshall came back from the interview.

"Well, do you remember your brothers and sisters making fun of you? Saying you'd never fly?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, to be fully honest we thought the same."

"So we did research to help you achieve your dream, and we found out about the Paw Patrol. We knew that with the way you are, you wouldn't want to stay, so we left. We didn't fully abandon you. We were still there watching you until we were sure Ryder had accepted you in! He did, and we knew you'd be happy. You got to achieve your dream of flight!" her dad finished.

"So it wasn't selfishness?"

"You stood out from your brothers and sisters, you had to live up to your full potential! It was a painful way to do it, but it had to be done! You originally achieved your dream of flight, but now you're the keyboardist for a worldwide famous band! You're happy aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am! I have seven really close friends! Even after Ryder died, I've been living the dream!"

"Why didn't y'all tell me!?" Ron asked.

Skye's parents felt bad.

"We should've told you earlier that she was alive and well. We just didn't want to tell you we left her behind."

"I reckon it's been damn near five years! It woulda been nice to know earlier."

Skye jumped into Ron's arms again.

"Do you wanna go home, back to the farm?"

"I'd love to!"

"Pack your things, you'll be home soon!"

"Oh you mean right now?"

"Well o' course!"

Skye looked at the pups and the Patroller, as well as the amphitheater.

"I can't, I have a band to tend to, I still have my friends!"

Ron seemed to slump in disappointment.

"That's right. I wouldn't wanna take you away from that."

"But I'll visit as soon as I can! I promise!"

"Please do! I've missed you! Are you able to introduce your friends?"

"Of course! Pups, this is Ron, the human that was there when I was born. And these are my parents, brothers and sisters," it hit Skye that couldn't remember any of their names, "These are my friends, Chase…"

"I'm her boyfriend!"

"Not quite. Marshall, Tracker, Everest, Zuma, Rocky, and Rubble."

Skye knew Chase liked her since the last tour, but she didn't think he'd have the guts to say something like that. Then again, he can make illegal immigrant jokes straight to Tracker's face.

"Well it sure is good to meet y'all. I reckon y'all are good friends?"

The pups all looked across each other. Good, close, dysfunctional friends for life!

"It was sure was good to catch up with you Skye! I'm glad you're doing good! Come and visit me ok?"

"I will! You know, you can stay for the show if you want!"

"We can?"

That's what happened. Ron and Skye's family had backstage passes so they could see Skye's performance up close.

"Atlanta!

AAAARRRRGGGHHHH! Go!"

The metal music was kind of intense for them. After the show, they said their goodbyes and headed back to Alabama. Skye seemed to be very comforted now that she knew what happened and that she was able to see Ron and her family again. The only loser was Chase.

AN: Damn! 5,000 views! Thank you all! Just a shout out to those of y'all who have binge read my story since the start, as well as those of you who are more recent viewers, I owe it y'all for this story having as much of an audience as it does!


	26. Homecoming

The show continued on, they went to Florida, then back up the east coast, to through the northeast, and into Canada. There were more Canadian shows this year. They played in Quebec City, Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Toronto before heading across the country to Vancouver. Vancouver was the last show before they had a few months to rest. In October, they're set to headline day one of Knotfest in San Bernardino and Mexico, then Japan in November.

Mexico and Japan were going to be new for the pups. None of the pups had ever been to Japan, or even knew anything about the culture. At least America and Canada were very similar culturally. For Mexico, they at least had Tracker to guide them through.

As they drove all the way across Canada, Rocky had two nights to sit alone and look out into the darkness. It was almost like therapy. Of just kept him calm and sane. The smooth ride of the Patroller, but still enough of a vibration, really helped mellow his physical pains, and the feeling that it seemed the Patroller tilted like an aircraft as it went around a corner put him into a relaxed mode. This was the only thing he could do anymore without Everest by his side.

The relaxing music, like Midlife Crisis by Faith No More really helped as well. After all the stress and what he went through during this tour, especially after everything with his dad, this was really needed. He could also feel Ryder with him as well. He fell asleep from being so relaxed. The next day, all they saw was a summer tundra. This highway would be impassable in the winter. The pup pad rang and Chase answered it.

"This is Chase."

It was Mick from Roadrunner.

"Oh hey Mick! Want me to put it on speaker?... No, they're all awake… Wait what!?"

The pups couldn't tell what was going on.

"No! No way!... Next year?... You're sure? This isn't… Really!? I'll tell them!... Yeah you too!"

Chase hung up.

"Holy shit! It just keeps stacking up!"

"What!?" The pups were curious.

"We just went double platinum and gold in Europe! We're touring in Europe next year with Rammstein!"

The pups roared and jumped around.

"We just keep getting bigger and bigger!" "We gotta take to the studio this year!" "Rammstein!"

The pups couldn't believe their success! They sold over 2 million albums, and 500,000 in Europe! The drive did get boring. It was going to be nice when they put personal TVs into each bunk. After the trek across Canada, they finally got to Vancouver. They realized every band had beaten them there. They had went through America, which cut about 10 hours off the trip. Through America, it was a straight freeway. Through Canada, it was a windy highway.

Nevertheless, they made it, and it was the last show of the tour!

"Vancouver!

AAARRRGGGHH! GO!"

The pups made sure to make this show special. As special as Seattle, except rather than giving an adrenaline rushing intro, they gave an honorable farewell.

"Facing a death that almost tore us apart

Together as we must depart!

Take the stage as adrenaline fills our hearts!

As a team helping since the start!

We're on a roll… on a roll… ON A ROLL! Is the…"

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

We've fallen now we rise!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

Having the time of our lives!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

We're family in our eyes!

PAW PATROL! PAW PATROL!

When it's happiness or die!

Happiness or die!"

Rocky's final riff echoed as the lights on the stage dimmed as the pups deviated away from their instruments and stood together at the front of the stage. Their farewell process was longer than every other show. They were only an hour from home, and this is where they were finishing this crazy, long, monumental tour. During this tour they learned so much about each other, Everest and Rocky, and Marshall and Zuma had formed intimate relationships, and they started to fight over things for the first time.

"Vancouver! On behalf of me, Zuma, Rocky, Everest, Chase, Skye, Rubble, and Tracker, thank you all! Thank you for the opportunity given! We played in every major American and Canadian city! We end it all right here! We're home! As I'm sure you all know, we're from Adventure Bay, a short hour drive!"

The pups bowed then howled in unison.

"Good night Pawpulation! We'll see you all real soon! We promise!"

The pups exited the stage. The pups packed up, and, unlike the other nights, stayed up, because they wanted to be awake as they pulled up to the lookout. On tour for months, finally home! The Patroller finally pulled up to the lookout, and the pups ran in. It slowly lost the pup smell, not having been occupied for months. They were too tired to do anything and passed out. In the morning, they woke up to multiple surprises, both pleasant, and very unpleasant.

They woke up to Mayor Goodway walking in, having to give them the bad news.

"Hey pups! How have you been?"

"Mayor Goodway!" "We haven't seen you for a while!" "How have you been?"

"Well pups, there's something I have to tell you. This tower is a large building, and it requires a lot of power to run. I'm afraid… a city ordinance was passed. This building has a lot of demand, and you pups are gone four months out of the year. I'm afraid the building either has to be repurposed, sold, or demolished."

The pups panicked.

"Why can't we stay here!?" "We've lived here for years!" "You can't do this!"

"If it was up to me, you could stay. I tried to stop it. The city council is just getting really demanding, especially ever since Ryder died."

"We have a city council?"

"Well, we needed to get the city more organized after Ryder died. We needed first responders, and new complexes set up."

"Where do we go?"

"Well, they're building big houses on the outskirts. We could put you in a big house with a lot of land!"

"It's not the same!"

"I know, but… just try to figure out what to do. I don't want to see you pups suffer."

Mayor Goodway left. They couldn't believe this, they spent years helping out the citizens of Adventure Bay, now they're being disrespected like this. Unloading their gear helped get their mind off of it. They also called Mick, and they were able to get in the studio to record their second album. This album would have 15 songs and be called Best of Friends, reflecting how they were able to stay together through everything they went through.

Rocky and Skye caught up with old family members during the tour in America. Well, as it turns out, Zuma's family, Marshall's dad, and Chase's parents were in Adventure Bay. The pups were playing like they would in the old days. They had all the room in the world.

"Zuma! You're alive!"

Zuma turned around. His parents! And his brother and sister! He ran to them and greeted them all. They all hugged him tight.

"You're alive! I can't believe it!"

"What'd we do!? Why'd you run away!?"

Zuma broke down. All five of them were in tears.

"I didn't mean to! It was an accident! I was picked up by a boy named Wyder! He… he gave me the dweam!"

"What did we do? I've lived the last four years in regret because I thought you had run away!" Rosie, Zuma's mom cried.

"Do you wemembewr how mad I got when you got Malibu that gocawrt, and Bevewrly that Xbox, but you didn't give me a pool? I took a walk in the middle of the night, but I got lost. I was found by a human who took me in. I guess… I nevewr came back."

"You didn't visit us? You didn't tell us you were ok!?" Travis, Zuma's dad asked.

"I'm sorwwy! I… honestly, by the time I could, I fowrgot whewre we lived."

"You're here now! That's all that matters!"

The five all had a large hug.

"You still have your speech impediment! That was the cutest thing!" Rosie said.

"I missed you bro!" Malibu yelled.

"I missed you too!"

Malibu and Zuma tackled each other, rolled around, biting each other, playing just like they did when they were younger. They started shedding blood, much like they did when they were younger too.

"Pups! Break it up before you kill each other!" Travis ordered.

Zuma and Malibu got off the ground. Zuma hugged Beverly.

"I missed you too sis!"

"Please come home Zuma! I missed you!"

"We left your room exactly how it was. Your old toys and everything!"

"Weally!? I weally wanna go back home! We go back to play two shows in Octobewr, then another in Novembewr! After that, we'll be wecording a bit, and I can spent a lot of time with you!"

"Please do! We have so much catching up to do!"

"How's this band going?"

"Totally awesome! We'wre double platinum!"

That completely shocked Zuma's family.

"So you're doing really well! I see you have quite a few friends!"

"You have a girlfriend, or did I beat you to it?" Malibu asked.

"Umm… about that…"

Zuma was very hesitant, but he pulled Marshall over.

"Mawshall, this is my family, my mom Wosie, my dad Twavis, my bwothewr Malibu, and my sistewr Bevewrly. Uh… and this is Mawshall, my boyfwiend."

Rosie, Travis, and Beverly were in shock, but Malibu just laughed and punched Zuma.

"I win! I got a girlfriend first!"

"Malibu, Zuma was brave enough to tell us he's gay, don't be mean!" Rosie intervened.

"He's my little gay brother! I'll protect him!"

"Little? Thewre's a two minute age differwence!"

Travis and Rosie hugged Zuma again.

"No matter what, you're always going to be my little pup!"

"And we'll love you forever!"

Rocky watched, "I sure wish I had good parents."

"Your mom definitely could've stopped your dad from abusing you!" Everest said.

"My mom died when I was 2."

"Wait what? You never said anything about that!"

"It was fairly unimportant."

The pups heard voices coming up the hill.

"You're sure our pups are here?"

"The boy we gave Chase to got this building after he picked up your pup and that girl pup."

Chase ran towards the voices knowing it was his parents. Marshall stood skeptical, knowing the other was his dad. His dad came into view, and he slowly approached.

"Marshall!"

"Hey dad."

A huge smile formed on Marshall's dad's face.

"Look at the success you've become!"

Marshall suddenly felt a lot more comfortable, and the two ran towards each other and hugged.

"You're doing really well! I'm so proud of you!"

"Y… you are?"

"Once named the village's clumsiest pup, now the village's most famous pup!"

"Where's mom? And Michelle, and Miles?"

"Your mom and I… we had our fair share of problems, and we're divorced now."

"Oh… does she want to see me?"

"Michelle and Miles do, but I don't know about her."

Marshall branched away a little bit.

"Why did you abandon me?"

Michael, Marshall's dad, just smiled. He put his arm around him and they turned towards the lookout.

"That boy's an extreme dog lover! I saw him take in Chase, and I knew he'd love you. Our ultra perfectionist village, frankly hated you. I needed to find a better home for you. I knew that boy would treat you right. Now, you're in a double platinum band!"

"How'd you know?"

Michael held up the pups' CD.

"You follow my band?"

"You didn't see me at the Vancouver show?"

"So you gave me to Ryder and didn't tell me? Why did you tear down my self esteem with my clumsiness, and then stress to me about going to hell if I'm gay?"

"I was brainwashed by our village. Such perfectionists, ultra religious. The divorce between your mom and I really helped me open my mind. I made fun of you because of your clumsiness. There was a big hype of gay influence at the time, I stressed to all three of you. It wasn't just you."

"So you're accepting of gays now?"

"I don't know."

Marshall had to tell him.

"Hey Zuma, can you come here real quick?"

Zuma knew what was going on, and was anxious about getting introduced to Michael.

"Dad, uh… Zuma this is my dad, dad… this is Zuma… my uh… boyfriend."

Zuma stood frozen, not knowing what to do, or what was going to happen. Michael stood, hard to read. After a bit of anticipation, he stuck his paw out. It took Zuma a moment, but he shook paws with him.

"Just treat him right, buddy!

"I will siwr! I pwomise!"

Michael hugged Marshall and Zuma. Zuma felt fairly awkward from it.

"I have three sons now! If you need anything Zuma, I'm always here!"

He gave Zuma a fatherly top of the head kiss.

"I suppose we're in-laws?" Rosie asked.

"You must be Zuma's parents? I'm Michael."

The parents introduced themselves and talked a little bit. Marshall and Zuma were relieved beyond relief. Meanwhile, Chase and his parents were catching up.

"You were the last of your brothers and sisters to get a human. We searched all over for kids who wanted puppies. Finally we found Ryder, and we kept track of all of you pups! We saw the Paw Patrol form, this tower get built, and then, eventually Ryder's death." Bruno, Chase's dad said.

"You followed me through all that?"

"We followed all of you pups. You were easily the most successful. We thought you weren't going to make it passed Ryder's death. Then you formed this band, and now you're famous!" Anne, Chase's mom said.

"So why did you give us to humans again?"

"It was a combination of poverty, and both of us never being home. We didn't have enough money to support six pups, and we were both always working. What we did was for the better."

"Well, thank you… really. I was given a great opportunity, and met seven of the greatest pups to live!"

"Mind introducing them?"

Chase went to Skye first, "This is my girlfriend, Skye!"

Skye gave Chase a 'I'm gonna hurt you!' face.

"Ok, maybe not quite my girlfriend, but close enough!"

"You really changed a lot!" Rubble observed.

"Ryder's death changed all of us. This is Tracker, my illegal friend."

"I have Canadian citizenship!"

After a little bit more of the pups catching up with their families, the pups were able to branch off and do their own thing. For the eviction from the lookout, they had until January 1st to be out, so they didn't have to worry about it until after Knotfest. Nevertheless, they spent all the time they could at it. It was their last few months with it.

There was so much happening, reuniting with family, having to set to record a new studio album, having to leave the lookout, having to to find a new place to live, then remodel the Patroller, then get the Air Patroller working for the Europe tour. All that within a short time period of time. They were playing shows in October and November, then starting the Europe tour in April. They will never get a good break to recover from the last tour


	27. Maggots of the Pawpulation

As October rolled around, it was time for Knotfest! The pups rested for a couple weeks, then renovated the Patroller, putting in a sound system and personal TVs for each pup. Each bunk had its own audio control module, so the pups could switch back and forth between the universal sound system, and their own personal sound system, which an Xbox, DVD/CD player, and Chromecast was connected to. The renovations didn't matter for the Europe tour or Japan show, because they had to fly.

The Air Patroller wasn't going to be ready in time for the Japan show, so they had to fly commercial. Hopefully they won't be bothered by a horde of fans. The pups hired technicians to get the Air Patroller running. When they got back, they'd have to get a house of their own. They'd most likely follow Mayor Goodway's advice and get one of those big houses on the outskirts with a lot of land.

They were five bedroom houses, which shouldn't be a problem. Assuming Rocky and Everest, as well Marshall and Zuma would share a room, then Tracker would live in the jungle with Carlos during the off season. Or, maybe Skye would finally fall for Chase, and they'd share a room, so Tracker could live in the house. Or even Tracker would live in the jungle, Chase and Skye share a room, and the remaining could be used as a practice room. Possibilities are endless.

They were off to San Bernardino, which was a 20 hour drive. On top of the additions they did, they also put WiFi into the Patroller.

"Aargh Mateys! Are you ready to get some treasure!?" Rubble the Pirate asked.

"Yes captain!" Chase, Skye, and Tracker said in unison.

"The treasure is aboard that ship! That unsuspecting crew doesn't know what's coming!"

Captain Zuma was looking on his radar.

"All paws on deck! 9 o'clock! We have piwates! Be pwepawred for battle!"

Captain Zuma and deckpaws Rocky, Marshall, and Everest were on the defense.

"Aargh! Surrender your ship or we attack!" Rubble the Pirate yelled.

"Come get it!" Captain Zuma challenged.

The crossfire began. Chase and Skye jumped onto a jetski, Rubble the Pirate jumped into a helicopter, and Tracker provided covering fire from the shore. Deckpaw Everest had her Barret .50 cal rifle. She shot Skye right of of the jetski. Chase could feel her grip release. He teared up as he saw her fall into the water.

"YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!"

Chase fired his Glock 18C, which hit and killed Deckpaw Marshall. Captain Zuma ran to assist, but it was too late. While distracted, the defense didn't notice Rubble the Pirate land his helicopter on the front of the ship. He let out his victorious laugh, which was only heard by Captain Zuma.

"Ovewr my dead body Wubble the Piwate!"

As Deckpaws Rocky and Everest were focused on Chase, Tracker took advantage of it, and dropped Deckpaw Everest.

"Everest! No!"

She was unresponsive. Deckpaw Rocky had to make sure Tracker paid! He grabbed the Barret and put two into Tracker. At this time, Chase had made it onto the ship. He and Deckhand Rocky both hears gunshots from the bow. Suddenly, they ignored each other and ran to their fallen leaders. Chase got to Rubble the Pirate first.

"Chase, you have done me good over these years. My end is coming. If you capture the ship, all my hard work goes to you! Complete the mission!"

"Yes sir! I will!"

Deckpaw Rocky got to Captain Zuma.

"Wocky! You have been a gweat deckpaw! The deed to the ship is in my safe! Take out the piwates, and the boat is youwrs! Don't let me down!"

"I won't Captain Zuma! I'll finish this!"

It was a race to the end, that Chase was winning! Victory was in his paws! He had the treasure! Just a little longer! Suddenly, Rocky came around the corner, and blew his head off with a .44.

"WHAT!? WHAT!?"

A large WASTED text appeared on Chase's screen, under it saying "RockyPatrol05 bust a cap in you."

"I had that! There's no way!" Chase raged.

On Rocky, Zuma, Marshall, and Everest's screens, a drop down said "You successfully defended the yacht!"

"That's bullshit! I'm gonna kill you Rocky!"

The Piracy Prevention objective turned into a shotgun battle on Zuma's yacht.

"I swear GTA makes me rage more than any other game!"

On the announcement part of the screen, Chase looked like a boss. ChasetheGShep02 killed RockyPatrol05, ChasetheGShep02 killed MtEverest09, ChasetheGShep02 killed Zumadiver07, ChasetheGShep02 killed FireMarshall03. His streak was ended suddenly. Rubbleondaduble killed ChasetheGShep02.

"Rubble! What the hell!? We're on the same team!"

FlyingSkye04 killed Rubbleondaduble, Trackerdown12 killed FlyingSkye04. Between playing GTA and sleeping, the pups never got bored on the way to San Bernardino.

Pulling up to San Bernardino, they became excited! They were going to finally meet Slipknot! They met Corey, but they didn't meet the other eight members yet. For the first time, they were able to claim the Maggots as part of the Pawpulation! Robodog parked the Patroller and the pups got out and did their thing. Marshall and Zuma were in the Patroller wanting to get some "business" done. Rocky and Tracker brought a few interviewers into the Patroller.

"Thanks for inviting us into your tour bus to interview you!"

"Yeah no problem!"

"De Nada!"

"So don't you have a special name for this bus?"

"The Paw Patroller," Rocky answered.

"How are you going to get around when you do a worldwide tour?"

"We have our own plane, the Air Patroller, but it's not in service, so we have to fly commercial to Japan in November."

"Do you mind giving us a tour of the Paw Patroller?"

"Right this way! So this TV retracts, and now we're able to walk into our newly renovated living space. So… well this is awkward."

Marshall and Zuma were being lovey. The pups always see them cuddling, but no interviewer with rolling cameras had ever seen them. Especially when Zuma as on top of Marshall.

"Oh hi!" Zuma said embarrassed.

"Bad time?" the interviewer asked.

"Just kinda awkward. This probably look bad?" Marshall figured.

"Just a little," Tracker admitted.

"Well, I guess now that we have camewras wolling on us, we can give a shout out to Slipknot to letting us headline Knotfest!" Zuma celebrated.

The four pups howled. There was an awkward silence.

"Now if you could just go away, it'd be a little less awkward for all of us," Marshall said.

Rocky, Tracker, and the interviewers walked out of the living space of the Patroller. Marshall felt really awkward about a camera getting footage of Zuma awkwardly on top of him knowing his dad followed the band. He was glad they were gone, time for the fun!... and to close the curtain first. While they had a good time smothering each other, they were missing out because the rest of the pups finally got to meet Slipknot.

Corey, Chris, Shawn, Sid, Jim, Mick, Craig, Jay, and Alessandro all came to visit the pups. Corey and Shawn both had their masks on and were behind Chase. A huge smile formed on all the pup' faces, but Chase had no idea why. He looked back to see Corey's signature mask and Shawn's clown mask.

"Ahh!"

Chase damn near wet himself. He jumped up and cowered behind Skye. Corey and Shawn took off their masks.

"It's Slipknot!" Rocky pointed out.

"I knew that! I wasn't scared!"

"That's what they all say!" Shawn taunted.

The pups weren't sure what to say, or who to greet first. Skye jumped into Corey's arms.

"Oh hey… Skye, right?"

She just yipped with joy and licked his face.

"Where's Marshall the pass out Dalmatian?" Corey asked.

"He and Zuma are in the Patroller, probably making out or something," Tracker answered.

"I heard about that. Shouldn't have asked."

Rocky and Everest went up to Mick and Jim, who absolutely towered! They were so tall! Rocky and Everest had to look straight up. As much as their instincts told them to be scared, they knew they were both friendly giants.

"You inspired us! The way you two worked together helped inspire us on how we do what we do!" Rocky praised.

"There's gotta be some kind of difference," Mick said sarcastically.

Each pup went to the member who played the same instrument as them. Tracker went to Sid, Skye jumped from Corey's arms to Craig's, Rubble talked to Chris and Shawn, and Chase and Jay did their thing. Corey and Alessandro sat waiting for Marshall and Zuma to finally come out. All the pups were able to relate to the member they had an instrument in common with. Rubble related to Shawn better than with Chris, and Rocky and Mick were more similar while Everest and Jim had more in common.

Marshall and Zuma finally walked out of the Patroller to see the surprise waiting for them. They both ran towards Corey and Alessandro.

"I was wondering when you were gonna join us!" Corey said.

Marshall ran right up to Corey and passed out.

"Well, he could definitely work on that."

Zuma virtually ignored Marshall passing out and greeted Alessandro. When Marshall regained consciousness, Corey knelt down to talk to him.

"If you're going to pass out every time I talk to you, I can't exactly help you."

"I'm sorry I can't help it!"

Corey started petting Marshall. Marshall rolled onto his back, and Corey knew what he wanted.

"A belly rub from Corey Taylor!" Marshall was in heaven.

Chase and Jay talked about drum stuff.

"How much hardware do you use?" Chase asked.

"A lot! Have you seen my setup?"

"Yeah! I watch YouTube videos of you during various performances. You have more than I do and I feel overwhelmed!"

"Gotta keep up with sound demands. It doesn't help that I'm not the original drummer. What heads do you use?"

"I use Evans. Coated G2s for the toms, EQ3 bass drum heads, and power center snare heads."

"I use Evans too. What about Cymbals? I've been loyal to Zildjian all my life!"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we can be friends. Sabian rules the land."

After hanging out with Slipknot for a little while, the pups had to assemble their stage. They got to meet Marilyn Manson, who was drunk and a bit of a douche. His road crew tore town his stage, and overtime road crew members put up the pups' stage. They had to get their own road crew, however. They were paying other bands' road crews overtime, and they weren't very consistent. The pups huddled before the show. It was virtually going to be the same show as during the tour.

"This is it! Knotfest! We were so psyched about being able to get this show! Let's show just how excited we were, and show our appreciation to Slipknot by putting on a hell of a show!" Rocky hyped.

"We also got to meet the members of Slipknot! We hung out with them today! That should be enough motivation for a lifetime!" Marshall added.

The pups howled.

"Paw Patrol on 3! 1, 2, 3."

"Paw Patrol!"

"Time to show the Maggots that they'wre pawrt of the Pawpulation!"

Marshall and Skye ran onto the stage. As usual, Marshall was trembling. After the serenade, he headed to the top of the podium.

"Knotfest!

AAAARRRGGGHH! GO!"

Marshall went to jump off the podium when he landed on his front right paw awkwardly. He could hear a snap. His yelp was faintly heard through the microphone. Despite being obvious he had broken his paw on the fall, only a handful of people noticed. Zuma was the only pup that did.

"Ah! Oww!"

Zuma ran to help him up. He wasn't sure how he was going to sing. He needed one paw to stand and the other to hold the microphone. Being down a paw was going to present a problem.

"Hewre Mawshall, I'll help you get to the side of the stage!"

"No, I'm gonna play the show! I'm not going to let the pups or the fans down!"

"You'wre huwrt!"

"I got this! Just let me sing!"

Zuma walked away with his ears down. He wanted to help Marshall. Marshall had a flashback to his bad dream.

"Actually, Zuma! Just help support my weight while I sing!"

He was happy to do that. Zuma supported Marshall as he had to hold the mic. The front half of Marshall's body was almost all on Zuma's back.

"We were almost broken down from it!

We rebounded from it all

And narrowly dodged the pit!

Our enemies better crawl!"

The way Marshall had to use Zuma to support himself was a sight to see, and the crowd wondered what was happening. So did the pups. When the song ended, it made sense when Marshall put the mic in his mouth and walked off stage on three legs. There was a longer than normal silence and darkness on the stage.

"It's broken, I know by the way it snapped," Marshall said in pain.

"We got an x-ray screen, let's take a look," a first aid medic helped.

After a quick look in the x-ray screen, Marshall and the medic were able to pin down the source of the break. His paw was splinted and braced so he was able to continue the show. It was against the medics' advice, but he was going to finish the show. He didn't crack his head open. Even if he did, he'd still finish the show. They taped a microphone to his splint, and he was able to continue. The lights went back on the stage, and the crowd roared. Marshall limped to the center of the stage.

"Knotfest! How are you doing tonight?"

The crowed roared.

"Sure hope your night is better than mine. I broke my paw two minutes in."

There were some 'awws' to come from the crowd.

"Do you want more!?"

The crowd hyped up.

"We can give you more! Just let us know!"

The crowd made sure to let the pups know they wanted more.

"Hey Rubble! That's my stick! I called dibs on the stick!"

A few songs in, Marshall got into his talking phase.

"Metalheads! Maggots! I'll tell you what, there's no crowd I'd rather be playing in front of! We're extreme Maggots ourselves! Slipknot is the band that inspired us to start this band the most. When our human died two years ago, we were empty, we were malnourished, we were nothing! One day, our salvation came! Slipknot played on the radio. The band was ultimately Rocky's idea.

We turned into this! Double platinum, headlining day one of Knotfest. We owe half of it to Slipknot. The other half we owe to you! It's because of you all that we are as big and successful as we are! It's because of you we had the opportunity today to meet the band that brought us here!"

The crowd roared.

"We owe it you! Maggots… you are now part of the Pawpulation! The Maggots of the Pawpulation… we're playing in front of about 30,000 of them!"

Marshall felt so good saying that.

"Alright, I gotta not talk so much! It helps me feel less lost."

The show went on just like a tour show would. They played Ryder's song, which they still broke down, even after playing it 30 times. They performed Cybark, and Paw Patrol, then they were able to tear down. After getting all their gear hauled to the Patroller, they were able to go straight to bed and not have to worry about cleaning up or leaving. It was a two day event, so they were able to stay. The next night they got to see Slipknot's show up close!

In Adventure Bay when they saw Slipknot, they were in the grandstands. Now, they're right there at the side of the stage. Eventually, that night ended, and it was off to Mexico! Their first show in a non-english speaking country. That night, they did have to tear down their canvas and throw the grill into the Patroller, but they also weren't exhausted from the show. Going into Mexico, the pups needed to be awake to show passports. Crossing into Mexico, the pup pad got a text saying "Welcome to Mexico!"

"Welcome home Tracker!" Chase said.

"We're far from where I was born!"

"You're not going to be able to get back into America now!"

"I have a Canadian passport, puto! You know, I will admit, I miss my pre-jungle days. I don't miss the desert, but I miss México. I miss my family being together."

"What happened?" Everest wondered.

"The cartels, my area got pretty dangerous. My parents wanted to split us pups up, give us to Americans. Their plan was to get to America then find us. Well, the human they gave me to was Canadian. They assumed every human was going to Texas. The advantage we have as pups, is we can squat with humans to get across the border. If a dog is with a human, no documentation is needed. The minute a dog is solitary, you need a visa, or whatever the hell we need.

Long story short, by being with a human, I was able to make it to Canada, then my human was able to get me Canadian citizenship. I don't know what happened though. One day he let me roam, then I came back to an empty house. I became self reliant in the jungle, then eventually met Carlos."

"So you exploited your way across?" Chase asked.

"The illegal jokes are half true. And they're hurtful too, so that's why I get annoyed."

"I'm sorry, if I would've known… it's a lot like Marshall with liking Zuma. I talk with my paw in my mouth too often."

"I'm used to it now, honestly, I'd kinda miss you making illegal jokes."

The pups sat in silence, both in reminiscence, and exhaustion.

"We truly are a North American crew. We have Canadians, Americans, and a Mexican," Skye pointed out.

The pups eventually became exhausted and went to sleep. They'd be at the venue by the time they woke up.


	28. Mexico and Japan

The pups thought that they would wake up at the venue, but it turns out the venue was further down Mexico than they thought. Toluca, Mexico was a good day drive from the border. The pups played more GTA until they got to the venue. Inside the venue parking lot, other than the air and atmosphere, it was just like America and Canada. Looking into the skyline of the city and surrounding area, however, it was so much different. The architecture, the neighborhoods, the people, and everything is in Spanish.

"This city is fairly safe, you shouldn't have to worry too much about the cartels. Tomorrow, we could probably spend some time roaming around. Marshall, Zuma, the fans and citizens don't care, but if a corrupt government division or drug cartel finds out about you two, it'll be a good reason for them to take you out or hold you captive." Tracker guided.

"That's good to know…" Zuma said

"Just warning you. If non English speakers talk to us, I'll let them know you don't know Spanish. If I'm not around and someone tries to start trouble, just ignore it. You shouldn't have to worry about that in the venue. Other than that, it should be a normal show."

Marshall had to limp around. Having three paws was going to suck! Luckily being November, it wasn't too hot. Nowhere near as bad as it was in Vegas. Tracker was able to talk to fans in Spanish. Rocky couldn't wait until they played in Germany and he was able to do the same with German fans. Chase needed to improve his Russian as well. The pups were definitely going to have fun. It's something new.

As night came around, the pups got to watch a lot of bands they never heard of, and a lot that they did and never thought much about. Marilyn Manson, Lamb of God, Megadeth, and Of Mice and Men, were bands that played before them on the mainstage. Hatebreed and Killswitch Engage were there also. The Paw Patrol was the only ultra desirable band to see on day one. They were the most wanted to see band behind Slipknot. The festival planners did that on purpose to make people buy tickets for both days.

As Marilyn Manson finished his set, the road crew took down his stage and put up the pups' stage. There was in interviewer backstage waiting for the pups, especially Tracker. He was speaking in Spanish to the camera, then the pups gradually came.

"Ah Rubble! How are you liking the Mexico tour so far?"

Rubble let out a huge fart and walked away. Rocky walked up next.

"Rocky! How would you say the band feels about playing here?"

Rocky started talking in German. The interviewer looked and the camera confused. He didn't speak German.

"Sprichst du Deutsch? Nein? Alles Klar. Du bist beschissen!"

Rocky walked away. Zuma and Marshall walked up together.

"Hey Zuma, what do you have planned tonight?"

"We'wre gonna teawr it up! We'wre gonna dominate! We'll show that we wule Nowrth Amerwica! Then we'll…"

Marshall was jumping around in the background as if he had never been on camera before. It distracted Zuma and he busted out laughing. The interviewer just smiled, thinking it was cute. Zuma walked away.

"So Marshall, when you…"

"Sup!"

Marshall ran off to follow Zuma. Chase walked in.

"Hey Chase, how are you liking Mexico?"

"We're gonna destroy you!"

"No please don't!"

Chase walked off, and finally Tracker walked in.

"Tracker!"

The interview started asking Tracker questions in Spanish.

"¿Que? Me habla no Español!" he said in a perfect Mexican accent.

(I don't know Spanish, so I'm going to write their Spanish conversation in English.)

"You just spoke Spanish right there!"

"Sorry I only speak English."

"You're speaking Spanish right now!"

"I'm going to speak in German now."

"That's an irrelevant language!"

"Sorry I'm Mexican, it just must be something that others don't understand."

The interviewer was starting to get annoyed, but it was also starting to get funny too. They continued their conversation as the pups did a head count.

"Alright! Two, four, five, six, seven… where's Tracker?" Rocky counted.

Tracker walked in the backroom.

"Tracker! Hurry up!" Chase yelled, "Don't make me call Border Patrol!"

"Shut up! I'm gonna hurt you!"

The pups huddled.

"Mexico! Our first show in a non English speaking country! We were given this opportunity by Slipknot! Once again, let's shown our appreciation by putting on a badass show!" Rocky motivated.

"Twackewr is finally playing close to home! Let's give him a bettewr home show than Wocky had!" Zuma added.

"If I could just see my family, it'd be good enough," Tracker said.

"Could be worse…" Rocky reminded.

"Let's go out and show them what we got!" Everest hurried.

"México on tres! Uno, dos, tres!" Tracker counted.

"Mexico!" the pups yelled.

The show opened like a normal show. The crowd roared as the pups took the stage.

"Mexico!

Aaaarrrrgggh! Go!"

After the first song, Tracker did the talking instead of Marshall. He said in Spanish what Marshall would normally say in English. Most of the attention that night was on Tracker, much like it would be on Rocky in Germany. As the night came to an end, the pups didn't lose as much energy as they normally did. Tracker had a surprise.

For the accordion solo in Hometown, he had gotten a new accordion painted like the Mexican flag. It was painted in three different colors and had the symbol in the white section on the flag. The crowd roared when they saw it.

"Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!"

"We've fallen now we rise!" the crowd sang.

That caught Marshall off guard. He didn't expect the crowd to sing with them in English. Eventually the setlist ended and the pups stood at the front of the stage.

"Mexico! Thank you! Or… Gracias?" Marshall knew very little Spanish.

Tracker said the goodbyes, and the rest of the pups did their usual thing. They spent about a week in Mexico. The next day, they watched the rest of Knotfest, then toured Mexico for a little bit, and Tracker gave some education on the culture. A few weeks passed and it was time for Japan! Unlike with Mexico, the pups had no lead with Japan when it comes to culture and language. Some pups did research before heading off.

The Air Patroller was making good progress. It was running, now renovations were being done. What was originally the launch pad where the pups strapped into their jetpacks was being converted into living space and storage. It luckily would be done by April. Flying commercial for Europe would suck.

A week prior to the show, the pups headed to Vancouver International Airport to catch an Air Canada flight to Tokyo. They had to admit, flying commercial was exciting! It was a rush, especially seeing all the planes going to many different parts of the world. Some planes simply going on a 30 minute flight to Seattle, to the massive ones going all the way to Moscow. As well as them, going to Tokyo. It was a half empty 747, which meant not much of a fan rush, and plenty of room in the cargo bay for their gear. Nevertheless, they were still recognized by plenty of people in the airport, and they did need security.

Getting on the plane was a breeze with a half full plane and two gates. There were kids on the plane that got excited and wanted to meet the pups. It was going to be a 10 hour flight, so there's plenty of time for that. Each pup got their own first class suite at the nose of the plane. They looked out the window to see all their gear getting loaded into the cargo bay.

"Way more complicated than when we just take the Paw Patroller! At least we aren't doing the work!" Rubble said.

"We're going to get a generic tour bus when we get there. Is all our gear gonna fit?" Everest wondered.

"Roadrunner is funding this tour, they're the ones worrying about it! If it doesn't, we just gotta complain!" Chase answered.

"The perks of the highlife!" Marshall praised.

The pups were damn near yelling at each other because their seats were so far apart from each other. They had the whole nose section to themselves.

"I've nevewr flown fiwrst class on a 747 befowre… Owr at all," Zuma said.

"I've never flown commercial. It's nice to have someone else do the flying," Skye added.

All the people eventually boarded the plane. Once the seatbelt sign was off, they expected some fan visitation.

"This is your captain speaking uh… We're expecting a 10 hour flight to uh… Tokyo. We'll be racing the sun across to the west. This is uh… a complicated time zone difference. Gate push off will be at uh… 10:30 am, and we're expecting to arrive at Tokyo uh… at 3:30 pm tomorrow afternoon, so we'll be time travelers! Uh… Flight attendants please prepare for takeoff," the pilot said.

The plane took to the sky, and within 30 minutes, the seatbelt sign was off, and everyone was able to get up and walk around. Not that there's much room on a 747. Some pups were playing tug of war, some pups were playing with the personal TVs on the seats, and some were trying to sleep. A young boy walked up, hoping to be able to meet them.

"Um… hi!"

The pups noticed him, stopped what they were doing and gathered around him.

"I… I just have one question," the boy said.

"WHAT ARE THOSE!?" Marshall yelled.

The pups started laughing.

"I'm sorry, I had to!"

The boy got a little scared by Marshall's sudden outburst.

"Make yourself comfortable!" Rocky invited.

"Can I have a picture with you all?"

"Of course!"

The pups made the boy's day by circling around him and him being able to hang out with them. A pawful of other fans, kids, full grown metalheads, and dog lovers were able to meet the pups. Their diversity was really nice, and it helped get them famous. Despite being a metal band, they were very family friendly. They got much younger audiences into metal than usual.

Although their music had the intensity of most heavy metal bands, it's also very friendly and welcoming as opposed to Slipknot, where the music is a source of letting out anger and stress. They also never cuss, aside from in their own privacy, the only time violence was a factor was when the got angry and hit each other with sticks and guitar heads. Aside from Zuma kissing Marshall, they also keep any sexual idea out of public life. Them being pups also attracted dog lovers all over the world, even if they're not into the music.

Nine hours and a bunch of satisfied fans later, the plane landed in Tokyo, and the pups were escorted to a temporary tour bus, which had a trailer for gear. They got to the venue by night fall. The bus was so much different from the Patroller. It was bigger, but it was also smaller. They also had a random Japanese driver rather than Robodog. Japan was so much different from North America. It was going to be something they'll have to get used to next year. Russia is another country that's different from the rest like Japan. At least Chase knew some Russian, he had been working on it.

The next morning, Marshall and Zuma were the first up. They had no idea how Japan felt about gay couples, so they kept quiet about it. It was all the same bands from Knotfest Mexico and San Bernardino. They weren't sure what to do. They weren't as familiar with this bus as they were with the Patroller, it didn't have WiFi or TVs, they didn't have their canvas or grill like they normally had. At least they had their cigars. Cigars in Japan are a lot better than North American cigars.

Without thinking, they held paws as they sat next to each other. As they did, they realized it wasn't a problem in Japan. The Japanese recognized it. However, they were going to have to watch out when they start touring in more places throughout the world. In Russia they could face a lot of discrimination, and maybe detained if they publicly show it. In United Arab Emirates, they could be put to death. Even if UAE is sophisticated, it's still best that they don't step paw in the middle east.

"Japan is so different!" Marshall said.

"We'll have to get used to it. It's what we'll see a lot of next yeawr. The only country outside of Nowrth Amewrica that we'll be able to manage in is Gewrmany because Wocky is familiawr with the cultuwre."

"Europe will be so fun! I can't wait!"

"Yeah but we'll be tourwing Apwil thwough August. That's a long time."

"It's just a shame Mayor Goodway is kicking us out of the lookout."

"Maybe ouwr new house will be better fowr us."

"I think it will be. We'll finally have our own room to ourselves. We'll have more room."

Marshall and Zuma made eye contact. The thought of them finally having their own privacy was enough to offset the disappointment of leaving the lookout. Ryder was the only one that ever had his own room. The pups either slept in their pup house vehicles, which they were too big for now, or together in the lookout. They're getting to the age where privacy was a need and sleeping together in a large room kinda sucked.

It didn't take long before they were bombarded by Japanese fangirls. The fangirls really wanted pictures and autographs. Luckily for Marshall and Zuma they didn't want to conversate. The rest of the pups woke up to being bombarded by fans. As time passed, they eventually took the stage stage in front of the Japanese crowd.

"Japan!

Aaarrrrrggghh! Go!"

Marshall really liked talking and expressing how he feels, even through using Tracker as a translator. The problem here is none of the pups knew Japanese. Jay, the pups' pyrotechnician, didn't know Japanese, so he couldn't put down subtitles in the screen. Marshall suddenly felt like the language barrier was a big deal. All he was able to do after the first song was bow. The entire show went on without any kind of communication to the crowd.

The crowd, however, did know the story behind the pups, the band, and why the pups broke down during Ryder's song. At the end, contrary to the Japanese culture, the pups all bowed to thank and shown respects to the Japanese crowd.

"Thank you Japan! Thank you a lot!"

The pups left the stage. Finally the last tour of this cycle was done! After a week in Japan, the pups went home and started packing up the lookout and preparing to record.

AN: Sorry for the slow upload. This week was hectic, I had a lot going on. Once a week updates shouldn't stay, I'll do my best to update more often


	29. Money, Eviction, and Recording

Rocky got a cargo trailer so he could haul the pups' instruments to Vancouver. They didn't want to take the Patroller to Vancouver, it was way too much of a hassle. They also had the lookout halfway packed up, and the Patroller served as their moving truck. They wanted to spend as much time at the lookout as they could, but they also wanted to get the packing done.

They pulled up to the recording studio in Vancouver. Hopefully they could get a few songs rough recorded by the end of the day. Probably not though. Each pup set up their instrument into the joint studio.

"Best of Friends! Let's do it!" Marshall said.

"I remember this song from Friendship Day!" Skye reminisced.

"How do you say friend in Spanish?" Marshall asked.

"Amigo," Tracker answered.

"How do you say friend in German?"

"Freund," Rocky answered.

Chase did a drum fill to start the song. They basically made Best of Friends from "Pups Save Friendship Day" into a metal song. Marshall, and the pups who could be mobile danced around. Skye and Tracker didn't have parts, so they danced with him. Rocky, Everest, and Zuma followed them while playing their guitars.

"Friends friends friends!

We are all friends!

I'm a friend to you

You're a friend to me

We're the best of friends friends friends!"

"Compadre!"

"SATAN!" Rubble ruined.

Chase and Skye tried to sing their line but they laughed from Rubble yelling Satan instead of comrade. They had to stop the song and the pups busted out laughing, not even mad that Rubble killed the mood. They calmed down and Marshall counted down.

"From the top! One, two, ready, GO!"

At the end of the song, where Marshall originally held a note, he instead turned it into a scream.

"Alright pups, wanna hear it?" a producer asked.

The producer put the recording over the speakers for the pups to hear. It sounded a lot different than it did during Friendship Day. It sounded more metal, and Marshall sang with his low voice.

"I like it!" Rocky said.

"Best of Friends… how do you think the metalheads are gonna like that though?" Chase wondered.

"We'wre ouwr own band with ouwr own ideas and style. If thewre's fans that don't like it, they don't have to buy the album," Zuma objected.

The pups liked that. It's what Slipknot did. They made music against the demands, and deliberately pissed people off, and they're one of the most successful bands of this time.

"What's in store next, pups?"

The pups were just messing around. The producers walked out and let them do their thing. Marshall started talking with a German accent. A gay German accent, not the badass German accent that Rocky will admit his dad has.

"Oh ja! My friends, give me a glass of juice! The war was bad! So so bad!"

"Your führer died!" Chase yelled.

"How dare you! My führer cared!"

Marshall threw a water bottle at Chase and started screaming like a crazed German. The pups, especially Rocky, were busting guts laughing. Marshall suddenly calmed down and talked with a Chinese accent.

"Sorwy! Mr. Chao back! Hi everybody!"

"Me Chinese! Me play joke! Me put peepee in your coke!" Chase yelled.

"Nein!" Marshall threw a water bottle at Chase again.

After a little bit, the pups were still messing around, but Chase made a drum beat. Marshall stopped being loud and danced around.

"This is jazz!"

The pups got to their instruments.

"It's not jazz, it's country!" Skye corrected.

"No it's jazz!"

Rocky messed with his amp settings to give it a country sound. The producers went back into the room, knowing they were going to make a priceless improv. Soon the whole band busted into a country mode. Marshall started blasting country stereotypes.

"Well I was living in the country

And them hillbillies tried to cut me

Living life in the trailer park

Oh man I gotta fart!"

Marshall let one rip into the mic.

"That feels better!

Time to put on your momma's sweater!

I know what to do with my cousin

Cuz that train's a comin'

Chase is the the drums

The beat is getting dumb

Rocky is on guitar

And we don't know how far

Zuma's on the bass

And I can kick his face!

And you got a Dalmatian on a mic

Trying to be a country son of a gun!"

The producers were cracking up.

"Cuz we're country boys!

Alabama country boys!"

Marshall was able to keep freestyling lyrics. Eventually the song ended, the pups got serious, and worked on The Metal Pup Song, and You Can Call On Me. That's right, they took the Merpup Song, metalified it, and called in the Metal Pup Song. You Can Call On Me, however, was kept at its original spirit. They didn't make it metal, they kept it the original sound, just with their new instruments. The Metal Pup Song was satisfying.

"As we tour around the USA

Having fun yet far away

The prophecy that was told to me

Or was it just a dream?

Hear our song

The metal pup song

AARRRGGGHH! GO!

No place I would rather be

AARRRGGGHH! GO!

Everyone sing with me

As we play through the night!"

As the pups had fun in the studio, the day came to an end, and the stress and worries came back. They got back to a half way packed lookout. They had to find a house too. And the rest of the pups needed their own cars too. Rocky can't be chauffeur forever. The old trucks would be kept for keepsake, but the pups can't drive them anymore. Luckily for the pups, they were millionaires already, so they can buy new cars, and they don't have to worry about paying for the house, because it was being given to them. Rocky and Everest went to choose the house while the rest went car shopping.

"Here we have a five bedroom, three bathroom 3,200 square foot house with a four car garage on 10 acres," the realtor serving Rocky and Everest said.

"I'm already in love!" Everest praised.

"Five bedrooms!? 3,200 square feet!?"

Meanwhile, Rubble had just bought a new Ram 3500. Chase had bought a Hellcat Charger, and Tracker had bought an SRT8 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Marshall, Zuma, and Skye had no idea what to get. Skye had never driven much. She wanted a helicopter, she wanted to fly, but she can't find a helicopter as versatile and compact as her old one. Marshall came upon a Honda Odyssey.

"This car looks fast! How fast is it!"

The salesman had no idea what to say.

"About 7.5 seconds 0-60, it's alright."

"Mawshall, it's a minivan, it's not meant to be fast!" Zuma snapped.

"It is though! I want it!"

"You'wre not going to buy a minivan!"

"Maybe I will!"

Zuma just walked away to find what he wanted. In the end, Skye drove off in a 370 Z, after Zuma disapproved of every minivan Marshall could find, he drove off with a BMW 550i. Zuma brought home a Toyota Tacoma. Within that time, Rocky and Everest had already finished and closed the house. They had the keys, and it was ready to be moved into at the beginning of the year. They all met back up at the lookout. For once they came home to good news.

"All repairs and test flights have been made, renovations have been finished. The Air Patroller is ready to go!" the lead technician said.

"Thank you so much!" "We're finally good to go?" "Some good news for once!"

"Glad you pups are happy! So the bill. For parts, engines, electrical, hydraulic parts, we're looking at about $1,873,450."

"How much!?"

"And for labor you're looking at another $347,600. So altogether it's… $2,221,050."

"Uh…"

"You can do any major credit card, check, or if you're crazy enough, cash.

"Looks like one of us has to go to the bank," Skye said.

The pups looked across each other, speechless. They weren't expecting 2.2 million dollar bill.

"Not it!" Chase yelled.

Rubble was the last to yell "not it!"

"Off to the bank you go Rubble!"

"You're coming with me Tracker!

"Do I have to?"

Rubble and Tracker headed to the bank to get the money for the technicians that fixed the Air Patroller. $2.3 million, Christmas, about a month later, it was New Year's Eve. They had moved into the new house, and the lookout was completely packed. The building was going to still be used as a first responder HQ, likely still used by both pups and humans, just not the Paw Patrol. The pups had the name trademarked, so the next agency couldn't use it.

The pups had beanbags set up to spend their last night at what was their home for years, and what they thought would be forever. They had the TV that played Skeptic and inspired the pups to start the band still mounted. It was going with them in the morning. They also had a glass of champagne and liver sausages.

"This is it, two hours until we're supposed to be out," Chase said.

"The city council won't bother us until morning," Skye assured.

"Still, this is the last time we'll see this place," Marshall added.

The pups looked at him like he was stupid.

"We'wre still gonna see this place evewy day," Zuma said.

"The lookout is the eyesore of Adventure Bay, it can be seen from all over town," Rocky proved.

Marshall didn't think about that. One hour and 59 minutes later, the ball was on it's way to drop.

" 1! Happy New Year!" The pups all yelled.

It was 2019, and the Paw Patrol was still young. Many years to go in the legacy! As the New Year's music played, the pups got emotional. It was there last few hours in the lookout. They were going to miss it. The old trucks were already away from the lookout. Everest and Tracker's trucks were with Jake and Carlos, and Rubble was towing the other six trucks with his new Ram. As the night of grieving celebration continued, the pups eventually passed out.

The next morning, Mayor Goodway, city council members, and the new building owners came to the lookout at about 9:30.

"Hey pups, wake up!" Mayor Goodway said.

The pups knew what was up the minute they saw everyone there. Their last day in the lookout had been on their minds all night, and in their sleep as well.

"We have to ask you pups to leave the property," a council member said.

"Today's the eviction huh?" Chase asked stubbornly.

"Good thing we got our stuff out," Rocky said.

"It's not an eviction, we just need to repurpose the building," another council member said.

"It's an eviction. You're forcing us out of our home," Chase said, "I'm an ex cop, I know what it is."

The pups grabbed their beanbags, and a few of the new building owners who felt bad helped put the TV into Rocky's Suburban. He and Everest still needed to get their new vehicles. The pups stood lined up in front of the lookout. The all saluted, then howled. Reluctantly, they packed into either Rubble's truck or Rocky's Suburban and drove to their new home. They wondered what Ryder thought of this situation. They imagined he wasn't real happy.

That didn't matter, it was time to hit the studio. They had to find a new eight seater. They're millionaires, they don't need to travel around in 30 year old vehicle. Rocky was still going to keep it even after they retire it. He loved it too much. Once they finally got to the studio, they had a hard time getting things done. They wanted to have the album done by February, giving it a release date on the first album's second year anniversary.

"Let's start with Eight to One," a producer suggested.

Half way through the song, Chase started messing up.

"Ugh! Sorry!"

"What happened?"

Chase suddenly got the urge to finally ask out Skye, and him thinking about it made him mess up.

"I got kinda distracted. One, two, ready, go!"

Chase tried to keep time but couldn't.

"Sorry, Skye's distracting me," Chase let slip.

The studio got quiet. Skye just approached Chase. He got anxious as she approached him.

"Heh, hey Skye!"

"You love me, don't you!"

"Uh yeah, you're a pretty good friend to me."

Chase was starting to act and sound like his old self. That wasn't a bad thing, he's become a bit of a douche after Ryder died, and he was well aware of it. It was something he needed to work on.

"You need to go back to your old self, I miss the old you!"

"I know, I need to work on it."

"Well, here's some motivation!"

Skye kissed Chase. The producers were surprised, but the rest of the pups were just glad they finally fell for each other. Chase couldn't believe it went so smoothly. He couldn't believe he finally had her in his grip! This must've been how Marshall felt!

"Wow, uh, does this mean we're sharing a room now?" Chase wondered.

"How about I move into your room tonight?"

"Yeah! Please!"

"Does this mean I can live with the rest of you?" Tracker asked.

"I thought you wanted to live with Carlos," Rocky said.

"I do, but I want to live with you all too. It's a long drive."

"We can arrange that."

Chase and Skye were finally together. It was about time! They finished Year Zero and a few other songs and headed home, where Skye moved into Chase's room and Tracker moved into Skye's room. To Robodog's relief, Chase and Skye moved on each other at home, so it didn't have to worry about the hydraulic problem coming back. Ironically, it was working on a hydraulic problem the Patroller was having. The Paw and Air Patrollers were sitting side by side behind the house. Ten acres was a lot of land, so their small vehicle collection wasn't a problem.

The next day, the pups went back to the studio.

"Alright, Year Zero, let's do this!" a producer said.

Although the song was named after Year Zero by Ghost, it sounded nothing like it. The pups were starting to have creativity differences.

"Rubble, tone it down, we need more from Rocky," Skye, who wrote the song said.

"Well maybe if Chase was playing so hard, I could play right!"

"He's supposed to play hard! He's the drummer!"

"Yeah, get off me Rubble!"

"Seriously!?"

Zuma intervened.

"Just play, we'll see how it sounds aftewr!"

Rocky's guitar solo eventually came. It didn't satisfy Skye or Tracker.

"Rocky, this isn't Stairway to Heaven! Play harder!"

"How about you try!"

Zuma intervened again.

"Stawrt ovewr,we'll see how it sounds!"

Rubble didn't satisfy again.

"Play it right! You're doing this on purpose!" Chase snapped.

"You know what!? Clearly you don't need me! Call me back in when you have this shit figured out!"

Rubble threw his mallets across the room and left. The tension was now starting to build in the studio. Then again, Rubble never stands being bossed around in the studio. The next to leave the room out of rage was Rocky. Slowly but surely, the album got finished. Best of Friends! 15 songs, released on February 10th, 2019.

Best of Friends!

Eight to One

The Metal Pup Song

Openness

Bay Area Blues

Hydraulics

Year Zero

Detroit Damnation (Intermission song)

The Fosgate Scandal

Hawk's Nest

Second Threat

Alabama Country Boys

Marshall On Crack and Testosterone 3

The Nine

You Can Call On Me

Before they went on tour, Rocky and Everest had to get new vehicles. They shared the Suburban, which Everest didn't care to much for. They got to the dealership.

"What are you pups looking for today."

"I just want something versatile, four wheel drive for snow, but not too big," Everest said.

"There's plenty of that!"

"I want something a bit more economic than the big block Suburban I have now. It'd be nice to treat the invironment a bit better," Rocky said.

"Just give him a Prius," Everest suggested,

"I'd like to keep my manhood thank you! How about one of those Ecoboost F150s? Tough and economic! 400 horses, and as many emissions as a Toyota Yaris!"

"The only truck owner in the world that cares about the environment! Are you going to go home and praise Obama while trying to push for more gun control and taxes?"

"I'm not a liberal! Don't you ever think I am!"

At the end of the day, Rocky drove home in an Ecoboost F150, and Everest drove home in a Nissan Frontier. In two months they head to Europe!

AN: My band finally recorded our first song, if y'all wanna take a listen, you can either copy and paste the link, /heresay-776827458/nugeneration-tracked-demo or if it doesn't want to work, just look up HERESaY - Nu Generation on SoundCloud. It is metal, FYI. I sensored our band name in the Battle of he Bands chapter because we didn't have Trademark on it, but now we do

Sorry if it seems like a self promotion like "hey look at me everyone! I'm the best check me out!" I hate people who do that, and try not to be like that


	30. Finland!

The pups were packing their gear into the Air Patroller, hoping to head out tonight. Tomorrow was Everest's birthday, they'd be in the air for it. Their first show was in Finland. After Finland, they'd head to Sweden, Norway, and back east to Moscow. Rocky hoped the Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegians could understand German. They all speak Germanic languages.

The last amp got packed in, and it was time to take to the sky! Finland had the honor of being the first place they'd ever play the new album live. At least part of it, they hadn't fully figured out the setlist. About 12 songs weren't going to be played. They were also debating whether to keep their opening song as The Rider, or open with the Metal Pup Song. Or maybe Best of Friends.

The pups had bunks, personal TVs, and WiFi in the Air Patroller. The Air Patroller was a bit smaller than the Paw Patroller on the inside, but having five bunks instead of eight helped the dilemma.

"Can you feel the love? It's tight like a glove!" Marshall sang.

Marshall and Zuma were in their truck going up a hill. Once they finally got to the top, they got out and stood next to each other.

"Let's kiss!" Marshall offered.

Zuma pistol whipped Marshall.

"Ahh! You killed me!"

The pups started laughing. Skye swooped down in a Hydra and took out Zuma and his truck. Rocky was driving up the hill Zuma was on right as Skye was pulling up. He jumped and they collided. Rocky jumped out of the truck before both vehicles exploded, so although Skye died, he survived.

"DID YOU SEE THAT!?"

"How did you not die!?"

"I got skills!"

Meanwhile Chase and Rubble were on a train messing around, and Tracker was flying a stunt plane above them.

"Tracker you might wanna land that thing before the US airspace radar detects you!"

Tracker went to dive bomb Chase for that remark but missed.

"Wow, nice one… AH!"

The carcass of the plane hit Chase because the train was moving towards it. He died, but it didn't give Tracker the kill. Meanwhile, Everest was on her yacht. She went to grab a beer, but a glitch caused it to turn into a bong.

"Umm…"

She drank from the bong.

"I just drank bong water."

"Why the hell would you do that?" Rocky asked.

"I'm wondering the same. Well uh, I'm lonely out here. I'm on a boat, and you're all doing something out there. I'm just going to drink… and drink."

"How do you drink bong water?" Marshall asked.

"How do you accidentally smoke a joint?" Chase burned.

"I didn't know!"

"I warned you!" Zuma testified.

Everest drunkenly poured a glass of whiskey into her mouth, spilling some onto her fur. She casually put the cap back onto the bottle of whiskey, then fell onto the ground.

"Well, I think I died from alcohol poisoning."

She respawned at a hospital. A night of GTA later, and it was Everest's birthday. They were still awake when midnight rolled around, so Rocky made sure to wish her happy birthday right when it turned April 14th. He was the first three years in a row!

"I'm a year away from teen years now. And there's currently two numbers between me and Rocky. I feel like a pedophile."

"Only until August," Rocky assured, "There were two years between us in Boise last year. And when were 40, two years won't matter."

"What about Boise last year?" Marshall failed to catch on.

"You see Marshall, when a boy and a girl love each other, they like to…"

"Shut up Chase!" Rocky warned.

Eventually, the pups passed out one by one. The next morning, Rocky made a cake for Everest, and Skye and Tracker had gifts for her.

"Do you want me to sing to you in a Corey Taylor voice?" Marshall asked.

"Why not?"

"Happy birthday to you!

Yeah!

Happy birthday to you!

Fuck yeah!

Happy birthday to Everest!

Scream with me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

"Wow… uh, thanks Marshall!"

She was expecting a tame Corey Taylor impression, not crazy Corey on the opening song.

"Blow out the candles!" Rocky persuaded, "Make a wish!"

She blew out the candles before she made a wish.

"What'd you wish for?" Rubble asked.

"I forgot to wish for something."

"Present time! Open mine first!" Marshall said.

Marshall handed Everest a present. She opened it to find a potato.

"Wow, thanks Marshall! Very… thoughtful!"

"Here's mine, it's nothing much," Tracker offered.

Everest opened her gift from Tracker.

"A box of rubbers?"

"What the hell!?"

Chase started laughing.

"I swapped out the boxes! The gift is in that box!"

"I try to be nice and you pull that?" Tracker was annoyed about this.

Everest opened the box to see a custom made guitar head with her and Rocky engraved into it.

"Aww! That is so sweet! Thank you so much!"

Rocky and Everest both hugged Tracker. Skye handed her gift to Everest.

"Now I know how upset you were because you couldn't see Jake for a lot of the winter, so I got you a solution.

"In this envelope sized gift?"

Everest opened it, an unfolded a piece of paper. It was a picture of a snowplow that hooked onto the front of a light duty truck. Above it said "Order Confirmed!"

"Wow! Thank you Skye! I don't know what to say!"

"Now I feel like a bad boyfriend," Rocky said.

"Don't feel bad! You gave me unconditional love! That's the best thing!"

"The best thing after a potato!" Marshall jumped in.

Many hours later, they arrived in Finland. 25 hours in the air was a long time. 7,500 miles, the Air Patroller has a relatively sluggish cruising speed of 300 MPH. The Finnish aerospace was fairly confused about the Air Patroller, but when it was explained to them, it made sense. They landed at the amphitheater. It was cold! The pups somewhat unpacked the Air Patroller, if even if it was 28 degrees at 7 in the morning. For them, it's 9 pm. They set up chairs, the canvas and a few heaters, knowing they'd be there a few days.

The pups toured around inside buildings. It was going to be a lot like Vegas, except opposite end of the heat spectrum. Outside, Everest was just fine, but Tracker was miserable. Rubble was pulled aside by an interviewer.

"Hi Rubble! How are you doing!"

"Hello."

"How's it going?"

"Pretty good.

"Why only pretty good?"

"Well, I'm alive, so can't complain."

"You're starting your Europe tour in Finland! How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling good! It's cold as hell here!"

The interviewer just laughed. Rocky walked up, slapped Rubble, and walked away.

"Oh that's not very nice!"

"That's how that works," Rubble said.

"What?"

"That's how that works."

"Ok… so uh…"

Marshall ran in, "Rubble sucks, Rubble sucks!"

Marshall ran off and the interviewer started laughing.

"So this new album, it's called Best of Friends. Why did you decide on that title?"

"Why not?"

"Point taken. So uh… What's the theory behind this?"

"Well, we're eight pups! We're best friends!"

Everest was in the background messing with Rubble. After a little bit, the pups went to bed. For the Finnish, it was the middle of the day. Afterwards, they got up and signed autographs for at least a couple hundred fans. This Europe tour was going to be something. They sat under the canvas. The heaters were on full blast.

"It's cold! Why is it so cold!?" Tracker shivered.

Marshall had four blankets over him. Zuma wanted to cuddle, but the blanket barrier presented a problem.

"Marshall, c… can I have one… of your b… blankets?" Tracker pleaded.

"Mine!"

Zuma grabbed a blanket then threw one to Tracker.

"Hey!" "Thanks Zuma!"

Zuma was finally able to cuddle up to Marshall without the blanket barrier. For Rocky, Everest was his blanket. Her fur was so warm, and when she cuddled up to him, it felt 70 degrees rather than 30. Rubble was hogging the heater, so he was fine. The next day was concert day. They weren't headlining Europe like they were North America. Rammstein headlined and the pups played right before them. Before the pups was Ghost B.C., Volbeat, Sevendust, and Sepultura, along with smaller bands on the smaller stages.

Rocky really wanted to meet Rammstein. He went to find them, and eventually he did. He wasn't sure what to say. Obviously something in German.

"Uh, hallo!"

"Bist du Rocky aus Paw Patrol?" Richard Kruspe asked.

"Ja, das ist mich! Und ihr seid Rammstein!"

Rocky was finally able to have a conversation in German with someone he didn't hate! A few hours later, the pups were backstage watching Ghost B.C. Their show was so good! There were five "nameless ghouls" with identical masks lead by Papa Emeritus. It wasn't heavy metal like the rest of the bands. They had more of a rock sound, but their sound is so unique, it's hard to compare it to anything.

Their show ended, and Papa Emeritus walked up to the pups. The pups were unsure what to expect. A guy that wore a lot of face paint, trying to be a reverse pope.

"So the pups are getting into the real world. Welcome to Europe! Take that stage and deliver your message for the people to hear, brainwash them! Hail Satan!"

The pups fell on the ground laughing. They couldn't take him seriously after saying "hail Satan." His accent didn't help.

"What? This is a free world, no? Ah, I forgot your pups, your sinless. My…"

Papa Emeritus tripped as he tried to talk to the pups. The pups continued to bust out laughing.

"Well it appears I found the secret to suck. Remember who is boss, and your show will go well… I think. No, that doesn't matter."

Papa Emeritus walked away. The pups already liked him, even if he did look creepy. The pups' temporary road crew set up their stage. They had a European crew, unsure how they'd be able to get their permanent crew over to Europe on their first Europe tour. Their official road crew consisted of pups. Pups that looked up to them set up their instruments and did sound checks, while the older admirers assembled the stage and set up the pyrotechnics.

Eventually the pups' stage got set up and it was time to play their new songs live! They wanted to open with Best of Friends, but it was too slow for an opening song. They wanted to change it up, so they opened with the Metal Pup Song. It had an instrumental intro, it didn't get straight to the vocals like the Merpup Song did, so Marshall didn't have to worry about being the first one on the stage, especially in front of a whole new continent of people.

Lost played in the PA in the background. Tracker had full control of the background tracks on the PA, so he could easily mess with the pups. As soon as Lost was heard, the crowd roared. A couple hi hat strikes from Chase brought in a distorted guitar from Rocky. After a few measures of Rocky's guitar, Everest joined him and Rubble started hitting the keg drum. More hi hat hits from Chase, and the whole band played. Skye and Tracker worked together to make a sinister sound. Eventually it faded into the metalified Merpup sound.

Marshall ran on the stage, but something weird happened. His stage fright didn't kick in. He wasn't scared, he wasn't worried about messing up. He finally got over his stage fright! It took a Europe tour to do that.

"Finland! Let me hear you!"

He let out a victorious scream.

"As we tour around the entire world

Having fun yet far away!"

He tried to improv another line to have it not be USA, but he wound up making it not rhyme. After the chorus, the song went back to the instrumental sound before the vocals. The Metal Pup Song was a relatively short song, longer than the original 40 second Merpup Song, but it was still short for a metal song. After the song was over, Rocky attempted to talk to the crowd.

"Uh, hallo! Sprecht ihr Deutsch? Ich spreche Finnisch nicht."

He got approval from about 40% of the crowd. Good enough. Some tried to understand him, but they couldn't understand German well, and Rocky's American accent didn't help. The pups played The Rider after Rocky was done talking to the crowd. After that, they played Best of Friends. That was an interesting display. It was metal instruments, with friendly vocals while the pups danced around on stage. After that, the crowd had a hard time taking them seriously.

"We'll all be friends forever

No matter what comes

Friends friends friends

We are all friends

I'm a friend to you

You're a friend to me

We're the best of friends!"

Right at the end of the song, Papa Emeritus walked on stage.

"What is this friendship you speak of?"

"We're friends forever!"

Papa Emeritus started dancing around and singing the chorus, mocking it in a comedy way, not an insulting way. The pups cracked up laughing.

"That reminds me! I gotta tell you a story!"

He was taking up the pups' stage time, but they didn't care because they thought it was funny. Marshall tried to reclaim his mic.

"You don't take things from Papa Emeritus!"

There was an uproar from the crowd, and people at the front were shouting random chaos.

"What so you mean I have bad gas?" Papa Emeritus overheard, "Marshall has bad gas, you're smelling him!"

Rubble walked by, let one rip, then walked away.

"That's disgusting! I'm leaving!"

Papa Emeritus let the pups get back to their thing. The pups went through their setlist, and forgot all about Ryder's song. They played Hometown, then You Can Call On Me. Rocky and Everest had to tune their guitars up. Normally they play I drop C, but they had to tune up to standard E. You Can Call On Me was so light compared to the rest of their songs, it confused the crowd again. After that, they finished with Paw Patrol.

On the stage, the pups were already having miscommunications. They realized the Europe tour was going to be a bit more stressful than they thought. They already felt pressured by all these countries wanting to see them. It was extremely exciting, but it was going to get more ugly than it did last year, more ugly than it did recording. They all had a bad feeling it was going to.

Pushing that thought to the back of their minds, they eventually unpacked their stage. Most of the pups were too tired, but Rocky stayed backstage to watch Rammstein. Everest stayed with him. He watched their stage get torn down, them Rammstein's stage get set up. He greeted all the members as he saw them come backstage.

"Hi Flake! Hi Doom! Hi Richard! Hi Paul! Hi Ollie! Wo ist Till?"

Till snuck up behind to Rocky to startle him.

"Gott weiß Ich will mein Engel sein!" Till yelled.

Rocky got so startled that he jumped high enough for Till to catch him.

"Hi Till!"

"Hallo Rocky! Wie geht's?"

"Nie besser sein!"

They heard a synthesizer from Flake. Till set Rocky down and left for the stage.

"My human crush! One of them!"

"Eww!" Everest said.

"If I was a gay human, I'd go after Till! And Corey! And Jay! Slipknot's Jay, not our Jay."

"Yuck! Till?"

"Aren't you glad I'm not a gay human?"

"Yeah, I don't want you cheating on me for Till!"

Rocky just laughed and hugged Everest. Finland was fun, now off to Sweden!

AN: Quick question to the non metal fans that read this story, what do you think of metal and the people who listen to it?


	31. Warming Up to Overheat

The pups packed their gear into the Air Patroller and Robodog flew them to Sweden. Unlike the North American tour, they never played shows on back to back nights. There were always at least two days between each show, which was nice, but it didn't help stage tension as much as it should. They acted normal when they were off the stage, which was good, but it wasn't going to stay. Stage grudges were going to dip into their personal lives.

They got to Sweden, happiest place on earth! It's socialist, so it's not my style. Sweden wasn't much warmer. The pups were cold sitting outside the Air Patroller. Everest smothered Rocky to make sure he was warm. Rubble cuddled with the heater, and Zuma made Marshall give some of his blankets to Tracker. Zuma felt kinda bad for Tracker, and Rubble a little bit too. They didn't have anybody to be with. Yet at least. They had to be a little bit jealous, all the other pups had each other. Who knows, they might find someone here.

Skye was reading through emails to find something unpleasant.

"Uh oh, we got an email from the Russian government, along with comments from various citizens."

"What did they say?" Zuma asked, scared it might have to do with him and Marshall.

"They warned us not to play Hometown. They felt disrespected by taking a song about Moscow, obviously the Russian capital, and making it about our own home."

Marshall and Zuma were relieved to know that.

"That song doesn't even say anything good about Moscow!" Rocky said.

"What happens if we do play it?" Chase wondered.

"They never specified, but I imagine a lot could happen. We could get detained, banned, maybe beat up."

"How about we just don't play!" Rubble offered.

"That's cowawrdice! We'wre playing!" Zuma snapped.

The next day, after dealing with a potential problem, it was time to take the stage in Sweden. A Swedish interviewer was interviewing Rubble.

"A band of pups is really different for the metal world."

"Yeah well, we're the next generation of metal!"

Skye walked up, jumped on top of Rubble, then sat down on his back.

"Umm… what is this?" the interviewer asked.

"What is what?"

"She's sitting on you."

"Yeah, so?"

"You pups scare me!"

"Good."

"Are you scared of me?"

"Not whatsoever. Do you wanna hit me?"

"Not exactly."

"Good."

Everest walked up, pushed Skye off of Rubble, then walked away.

"Well, that's one way to say hi."

Rubble licked the camera and walked away.

"Rubble! Where are you going!?"

"He got bored," Skye said.

"Actually, it's time to take the stage!" Chase called.

Rocky took roll call, "One, two, four, five, six, Skye is over there, Tracker, where's Tracker?"

Tracker approached on the phone, "Alright Carlos I gotta go, we're about to hit the stage, I'll call you after the show! Yeah I love you too!" he hung up, "Sorry, I'm here!"

"Alright, Sweden! Happiest place on earth! Let's not make them unhappy!" Rocky lectured.

They heard the countdown start.

"Uh oh, it's going off early!" Zuma observed.

"Alright, skip the speech. Paw Patrol on 3! 1 2 3!"

"Paw Patrol!"

They kept the countdown from the last tour, but instead of each pup going on one by one, they were all on the stage. All except Marshall. The pups took the stage in the darkness, hurying to their places while the stage was still pitch black. Right as the pups got to their instruments, they heard the synthesizer build up, then the explosion from the pyrotechnics lit up the stage, showing seven pups. That was Tracker's queue to start the Lost background track.

The crowd wondered where Marshall was as the music started going. Suddenly, he appeared on Chase's drum platform.

"Sweden! Let me hear it!"

Marshall jumped off the drum platform. After breaking his paw at Knotfest, he made sure to be careful from now on. He was careful with his recently recovered paw, putting less weight on in than the other three.

The show went on as normal, and Papa Emeritus interrupted the pups' show again. Zuma decided to have some fun with the pyrotechnics during Detroit Damnation, the intermission song in the place of where Lost originally was. The pups usually mess around during this time, but for Rocky, it was a bit of a reminiscing period. It was a bunch of wicked sound effects Tracker put together, as well as audio the Paw Patroller's camera mics picked up when Heinrich had bullied Rocky.

One day, during a recording session, Rocky broke down thinking about and thinking about his dad. He was screaming things, crying, yelling, and it was all picked up by a microphone. His cries and Heinrich's douchebagery were mixed into Tracker's track. Zuma messed around and messed with the other pups as Rocky pressed his head into a stage monitor.

Zuma grabbed a flamethrower set up on the stage and approached unsuspecting Rubble, lighting his vest on fire.

"Ah! I'm on fire! Help! Help!"

Zuma fell to the ground laughing, almost catching himself on fire. He got back up, and went to Marshall, the only one who didn't notice him light Rubble's vest on fire.

"Sweden! You still with us? We're still with you! And uh…"

Zuma lit Marshall's vest on fire.

"Oh that's cute. I knew you only liked me for the money. Water cannon!"

Marshall sprayed out the fire on his vest. Rubble had finally got the fire on his vest out, then Zuma lit it on fire again. The only reason he set Rubble on fire is because he wore a fireproof vest under his uniform vest, ironically because he was afraid of getting caught on fire. He lit Marshall on fire because he could put it right out with the water cannon.

"I'm on fire! Put it out! Put it out! Help!"

The crowd watched and laughed. Marshall eventually sprayed Rubble down as the intermission song came to an end.

"Hey Wocky! You'wre on fiwre!"

Rocky jumped up to see he wasn't actually on fire.

"Water cannon!"

"Marshall! No!"

Zuma ducked so he wouldn't get hit by Marshall's water stream, which hit Rocky.

"Wet! Eww! Wet! Wet!

Luckily the water didn't short circuit the guitar's electrical components. The show went on, they eventually got to You Can Call On Me.

"Wir haben zwei lieder mehr! Wollt ihr zwei mehr lieder hören!?" (We have two more songs! Do y'all want two more songs!?) Rocky asked.

The crowd roared. Someone yelled that they wanted to hear the rest of their songs.

"Alle unsere lieder? Du mußt nicht Rammstein sehen wollen!" (All of our songs? You must not want to see Rammstein!)

The pups played You Can Call On Me and Paw Patrol, and Sweden was done. The pups packed up the Air Patroller, and headed to Norway. Norway, the other happiest place on earth. Unfortunately, that's when the pups started having problems. When Marshall jumped off of Chase's podium, Rubble had walked into Marshall's landing zone, so Marshall wound up landing on Rubble, spraining the paw he had broken, and spraining Rubble's hind paw.

They started screaming at each other, but Marshall has to sing so it didn't last long. Tracker and Chase started to get into it as well. Chase's illegal immigrant jokes were starting to turn into legitimate insults. When Tracker pulled out his accordion for the Metal Pup Song, he played it right in Chase's ear. Chase threw a drum stick at him, so he squeezed Chase's tail into the bellow of the accordion. That didn't feel too good for Chase. At the end of the song, Marshall and Rubble were being assessed by the medics.

"It's only sprains. You might want to watch out for each other next time!"

"If Marshall hadn't tried to land on me this wouldn't have happened!"

"Wait a minute! You walked right under me as I jumped from the podium! If your dumbass would've just looked up this would've been avoided!"

"I was already there when you jumped! Maybe you should've looked down!"

"You were not! I was…"

Zuma ran in to break up this potential fight. Tracker came in to help. Zuma held back Marshall while Tracker held back Rubble as they still screamed at each other.

"At least I'm not being held back by my butt buddy! You little queer!" Rubble went too far.

Marshall broke past Zuma and had to be stopped by Tracker. Rubble felt victorious.

"Mawshall! You'wre mowre matuwre than he is! Let it go! Go back to the stage and sing! Do what you do best!"

Zuma's voice was enough to calm him down. It was all he needed. Chase took advantage of this to throw another drum stick at Tracker. Ironically Marshall and Rubble worked together to hold Tracker back while Skye scolded Chase. The crowd was getting frustrated.

"Evewypup get back to your instwuments! Let's start playing again!" Zuma ordered.

Eventually order came over the pups, and they went back to playing. Playing Best of Friends was fairly ironic. They weren't acting like best friends. They sure hate each other a lot. During Hometown, the transmitter on Tracker's accordion went out. He started playing his solo, but he could hear it wasn't going through into the PA. He adjusted the transmitter, but it still didn't go through. He unplugged the transmitter completely, plugged it back in, and it still didn't work. He just dropped the accordion and left it for a road crew member to have to pick up.

The highlight of the show was when Skye went to fly around and Tracker hitched a ride. He shot a rope from his pup back and it gripped onto Skye's jetpack. Skye was expecting it, but the turbines easily had enough thrust for both of them. As they were flying around, what Tracker didn't know was the exhaust from the turbines was burning the rope holding him to Skye. Even with the lights on his hat and uniform, he couldn't see it.

Right as Skye and Tracker were returning to the stage, the jet exhaust burnt the rope and it split, causing Tracker to plummet about 75 feet. With his quick thinking, he launched another rope at a stage pillar. It was able to reduce his fall speed before it lost grip. He back flipped and landed onto his paws on his podium, unharmed.

"Tracker that was sick!" Marshall yelled.

Eventually, the Norway show ended. Papa Emeritus never came on the stage. He probably didn't want to be around a bunch of pissed off pups. Who can blame him? Off to Russia! None of the pups had ever been to Russia, and they were fairly anxious to go there. Hopefully Chase's Russian was sufficient. He had a hard time reading it, but speaking it wasn't a problem. Eventually Robodog flew into Russian airspace, and eventually landed in Moscow.

Because the pups were in an Eastern European precinct, everyone they played with on GTA online was from Russia, Ukraine, or other eastern countries. The pups' stage rage was transferred onto GTA. Marshall and Rubble screamed at each other as they kept killing each other. They were duking it out Downtown, while also getting killed by random players. Chase and Tracker were battling at Los Santos International, also getting killed by a random player. Tracker and Marshall had the lead so far.

Everest and Skye were getting supplies for Everest's weed farm, and Zuma and Rocky, the two best snipers, were having a friendly battle on Vespucci Beach. They wound up in a stalemate. Moscow was a bit warmer than the Scandinavian countries. It still was about what it would be in Adventure Bay, about 65 degrees during the day. Tracker was able to be outside without being miserable.

Marshall and Zuma had to remember not to be so lovey on each other like they were in Mexico. Like in Mexico, fans won't care, but the government cares more, only corrupt Mexican government branches would detain them, but the Russian government will cover it up and deport them. It was time to take the stage for Moscow, and for the first time, not play Hometown.

"Alright, Russia! This'll be a first impression of a… fairly closed in country! This isn't like Sweden, Finland or Norway, those are all democracies! The people here are very particular. All we gotta do is kick ass and satisfy! If Slipknot can do it, we can!" Rocky lectured.

The pups all howled.

"Papa Emeritus sucks on 3! 1 2 3!"

"Papa Emeritus sucks!" the pups all yelled.

Papa Emeritus walked up to the pups.

"You seemed to have forsaken me! You are not worthy!"

"Yes we are, once a nameless ghoul, always a nameless ghoul!"

"Damn straight!" a nameless ghoul said as he randomly walked by.

"Go out there and do your best of friends bullshit!"

"No!"

"Please?"

"No!"

The pups hit the stage and Papa Emeritus was finally able to release the laughter he had to hold back. Once the pyrotechnics lit up the stage, the show was underway. So was the pups' stage rage. It just got worse. Norway was already worse than the worst was last year. This was going to be a long tour

"Moscow! Scream for me!"

Chase spoke to the crowd. Unfortunately his Canadian accent was strong, and the crowd had a hard time understanding him. Rocky could sense it, because Chase was getting the same looks as he got in the Scandinavian countries. The pups continued to play and leave a good first impression in Russia. They got to the point in the setlist where Hometown was. Skipping it didn't feel right. Eventually, the show ended, and the pups exited the stage. They didn't stand at the front of the stage like they normally did.

Rocky and Everest did the intro to Hometown. The crowd expected not to hear it. Skye ran on and her and Skye sang the intro. Except it wasn't the intro to Hometown. They sang the Russian intro to Moskau. All the pups but Marshall took the stage again. He had nothing to do during this song. Rocky sang the German chorus. His voice was low enough to finally be able to sing it.

The crowd roared when they realized the pups were playing Moskau.

"Diese stadt ist eine dirne!

Hat rote flecken auf der stirn!"

Rocky, Everest, and Skye stood in close quarters throughout the song. Zuma felt lonely and Marshall was bored.

"Moskau!

Raz! Dva! Tri!

Moskau!

Posmotri!

Pioneri tam I tut!

Pesni Leninu poyut!"

Rocky felt like a badass playing guitar and singing. Too bad he can't sing more than the low pitched almost rap of Moskau. Aside from this song, he sounded like shit when he sang. When the crowd thought they weren't going to see Marshall again, Tracker tossed him his accordion, and Marshall played the accordion solo. He messed up a few times, but to be able to play Tracker's accordion on stage was worth it.

Moskau eventually ended, signalling the real end to the pups' show. Stressful, it was nice to finally be done! The pups said their goodbyes, then went back to the Air Patroller. They packed their gear into the Patroller, then headed off to Greece. They were going to play in Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria, then Croatia before heading west. On the western European portion, they'd go to München, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, The Netherlands, Switzerland, then back to Berlin, Germany before their final show in London. After that, it's back to North America, a handful of shows in South America, and a handful of shows in eastern Asia… if the pups could last long enough.

AN: As you can probably see, I added a cover finally lol. Like I said, I don't know how to use illustrator or anything, so I had to color it by hand. Not the worst, not the best. I also don't have a scanner, so that didn't help. But yeah, if you had a hard time imagining what they'd look like on stage, that's what they would look like


	32. Westward Bound Slowly

The pups headed all the way down to Greece after they left Moscow. They hadn't even gotten to the stage and the arguments started. This one was interesting, however. Chase and Skye were fighting. Everest and Rocky were yet to get into a fight, and Marshall and Zuma had only gotten into an argument. Chase and Skye were screaming at each other.

"You promised you weren't going to hang out with that Russian fan girl pup! What did you do!? You hung out with her!"

"You were right there! You saw my every move! You watched me and her the entire night!"

"You think I can speak Russian!? I clearly can't! I couldn't tell what the fuck you were saying! You could've been flirting for all I know!"

"English or not, I would not flirt with another girl! Especially not right in front of you!"

"I don't believe you!"

"You need to work on trust issues then, bitch!"

The pups couldn't believe they just talked to each other like this. Skye slapped Chase, then the room fell silent.

"Chase… I'm sorry!"

Chase was unreadable. He just stood, muscles tensed, fire in his eyes. The pups weren't sure if Skye was about to get destroyed. Tracker, after his encounters with Chase lately, couldn't help but want it to not end well. Chase slowly approached Skye, still with rage. He lifted his paw, and after a couple seconds of anticipation, he pulled her in for a hug. Relief flooded the room.

"The Chase I'm trying to steer from would hit you. The old Chase, the Chase from when Ryder was still alive would never lay a paw on you. You're testing me. A test I'm not going to fail!"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I should've trusted you!"

As Chase and Skye made up, Ghost was finishing their set. Chase and Tracker made eye contact. Chase let go of Skye and walked over.

"Hey, I'm sorry about everything. Do you want to start fresh?" he offered.

"Uh… I don't know."

"We can just let go of everything right now. No more throwing sticks, no more smashing tails with accordions."

"I guess… so what now?"

"You gotta hug to make it up!" Zuma said.

"Yeah you'd like that, alien!" "You'd like that, douchebag!" the two said simultaneously.

The both looked at each other.

"Alright, one hug!"

Tracker and Chase reenacted a perfect Step Brothers hug from when Brennan and Derek made up. They did the high five… or high paw at the end as well.

"Well, I guess that'll do it!"

It didn't exactly do it. When they hit the stage, all that was in vain. At least Chase and Skye's bond stayed. Tracker started to get jealous. He tried not to let it bother him. It was hard not to be jealous. He couldn't help it when there were three happy couples on the stage. Rubble was never bothered by it. Unlike Tracker, he wasn't looking for an intimate relationship. He took full advantage of the fame when it comes to the girls.

He's very incognito about it. The pups have only seen him bring in two, when really, his 36 pack of jimmy hats was almost out. Between the last tour, and the few shows they've played in Europe so far, he got a big bang for his buck… as long as no puppies show up on his doorstep.

"Athens! Are you with me?" Marshall asked.

The Greek crowd roared.

"We've been going through a lot. Arguments, stress, and we get a huge help from you all in the Pawpulation! So please! Help me sing this so…"

Marshall tripped on a wire, rolling the same paw he sprained and broke. Rocky walked by laughing his ass off. Marshall gradually got up.

"Well that hurt!"

The crowd laughed.

"Alright shut up!"

Marshall started cracking up.

"Now that I've pulled a Marshall how about you help me sing this song!"

The show in Greece ended, and the pups went to Hungary, Austria, then the Czech Republic. Czech Republic got interesting. The pups experienced their first streaker.

"Arming up for retaliation!

Stopping us will take an entire nation!

Little punks losing tread!

Can't stand a chance against the second threat!

As you… oh that's… ugh!"

The streaker ran up to the front of the stage. Zuma ran up and knocked the streaker right off the stage. Next they went to Croatia. Rubble had run out of jimmy hats and went to Tracker to borrow some. Tracker didn't mind hooking a brother up, but it bothered him once again, that he didn't have anyone. He didn't want to take the easy way like Rubble either. All this made him really miss Carlos.

After Russia, he started to feel homesick. The pups weren't getting along, they were on the other side of the world, 25 hours of flying. He had never had a home until he met Carlos. He didn't feel homesick when he left Mexico, he didn't feel homesick after he had to leave his first human. He walked outside, needing alone time because he was so alone. Rocky knew something was wrong.

"Hey Tracker, what's wrong?"

"Hey Rocky, just homesick."

Rocky felt really bad for Tracker, especially because that's something he doesn't suffer from.

"I'm sorry to hear that. At least you know what's home."

"What do you mean? Isn't Adventure Bay your home?"

"Sort of. I don't what is. I don't know what anything is anymore. Ryder's death messed up my life bad enough. Now memories of my dad are coming back, and… none of us are getting along. We started this band to be happy. Now we're miserable!"

"It's a bad time. I'm just really lonely."

"I noticed Rubble asking for rubbers kinda bothered you."

"I don't mind him asking or helping him out, it just reminded me that I don't have anyone. I just want someone, someone that'll have fun, but will stay, and want to cuddle every night. I don't know how Rubble does it."

"You know, you and him are both single, that's always an option."

"Haha."

"You'll find a girl eventually man. I guess I just got lucky."

"Yeah… so did Chase!"

"That's what's bothering you?"

"It has a big impact. He's such an asshole! He has been ever since Ryder died! And look, he has Skye! They love each other! He found his perfect one, and I can't find mine! Like, what did he do that I didn't?"

"I know, to be fair though, he's working on it. He and Skye also have known each other for a long time. They know each other so well, so it gave him an advantage. Give him a few years and he'll be back to his old loveable self."

"A few years!? I can't deal with this for a few years! This band won't last a few years of this! Chase and I fight! Chase and Marshall fight! Marshall and Rubble fight! Everest and Skye fight! Even you and I had our fair share last year!"

"We're good now aren't we?"

"That's not the point."

"I know."

Silence fell upon them. It was a good minute before they talked again.

"Croatia, huh? How do you think this place'll be?" Rocky asked.

"I don't know man."

"What's wrong now?"

"We've both had our fair share of rough times."

"As long as I don't see my dad again in Michigan this year, I'll be fine."

"I'm glad we're finally sitting down and talking. It's bonding time."

"I guess it's something we all need to do. You know what I just realized? Zuma has never gotten into a confrontation with any pup. Aside from that argument he and Marshall got into, which they're always together, so it's expected, he's never argued or fought with any of us."

"I don't know how the hell he does it!"

"He's having the time of his life!"

"How do you and Everest never fight?"

"We communicate so well, that it never really came down to it. We've become frustrated at each other, but never raised voices."

Tracker was quiet for a little bit.

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Having Everest by you. Being able to have someone to talk to and comfort you. And… the other thing. What's that like?"

"It's uh… a dream. That's the best way I can describe it. Mutual love. I don't know who loves the other more. I just feel so lucky she's here and we're able to be together. And… the other thing… heh, you'll just have to find out for yourself."

"I'm the only pup that hasn't done it."

"Dude, there are so many girls flooding us, there for the taking for you and Rubble!"

"I feel like I'm taking advantage of them that way."

They sat silent for a little bit.

"I'm gonna get a cigar, you want one?" Rocky offered.

"Might as well."

As Rocky walked away, Tracker thought about him.

"He is so sweet!... oh that came out weird. Kinda. I know why Everest likes him! He's perfect!"

He stopped his thoughts in his tracks.

"What the hell am I saying?"

He started laughing.

"At least I'm not afraid to admit it. I know I'm not gay. Besides, he's got someone, and he's bigger than me. I wouldn't date someone bigger than me. To think at this time eight months ago, he and I had complications… weird. I wish I could clone him into a female."

"What are you talking to yourself about?"

Rocky had come back with cigars.

"I don't know anymore."

A day passed and it was time to hit the stage in Croatia. Unfortunately, none of the pups spoke Croatian. Each pup learned a language over the last year, preparing for this tour, but none of them thought of Croatian, Hungarian or Finnish. Rocky knew Swedish was close to German, so he didn't stress with that.

Obviously Tracker knew Spanish, Rocky knew German, and Chase improved his Russian. Skye and Rubble both learned French, but Skye learned it to speak it while Rubble learned it for a hobby. Rubble learned Arabic because he thought it'd be funny, but he ended up enjoying it. Zuma learned Japanese, Marshall learned Italian, and Everest learned Portuguese. Before the show, Marshall learned some basic Croatian.

"Hrvatska! Uh…"

Marshall tried to add a punchline, but he couldn't remember what to say. He jumped off the podium. Tracker had a war inside his head and had a hard time focusing. Almost forgot to grab the accordion. The accordion helped him get his mind off of everything. Such a magical instrument! Even after his part was over, he kept playing. About half way through the set, Zuma's bass went out.

He was playing a dense bass track, and it was immediately noticeable when the sound didn't go through. He started playing every string to see what happened. He inspected the knobs, switches, and cable. Nothing. He pushed the bass to his side and just stood there until the song ended. When it did, he checked in with the technicians.

"That's your problem, the relay box went out. It's from all the moisture on this stage. We have another, but if we can't insulate it, it could go out too."

That's where Rocky's intelligence kicked in.

"Aren't you glad I saved your box of rubbers?"

"What does that have to do with this?"

"Connect the new relay and I'll show you."

Zuma connected the new relay and Rocky grabbed a jimmy jat. Marshall had to alert the crowd of what was going on because it was taking a while. Rocky pulled the jimmy hat over the relay as insulation against the stage moisture, ensuring that it won't go out.

"How do you think of these things?"

"Mick Thomson."

"Of course, how could I fowrget!"

"I did the same thing with mine and Everest's relays."

The pups got ready to play again.

"Alright Rubble! Start us off with that snare drum!"

Rubble wasn't on the stage.

"Rubble? Well, it seems he went AWOL. You know what this means?"

Marshall strapped into Rubble's snare drum harness and played the snare drum. A few minutes into the song, Rubble came onto the stage, worn out as if he had been playing.

"Where were you?" Marshall asked.

"I don't think you wanna know that details."

"Really? In the middle of a show? Can't it wait?"

"I thought it'd take longer to fix the bass."

The Croatian show went on, and eventually, it came to an end. Off to Germany! Rocky was so excited to play in Germany! Although Heinrich came from Germany, and for years he despised the German language because of Heinrich, he was so excited for it. It was a culture he knew well, as well as a language that he knew well, and no longer despises, thanks to the help of this band and his friends.

"Robodog, nach Deutschland! Los!"

Robodog just stared.

"Bitte?"

Robodog still stared.

"I need to program German into you! To München, Germany!"

Robodog obeyed and headed to München. The difference between Rocky with German fangirls and Chase with Russian fangirls, is Rocky actually taught Everest some German, so she'll know whether or not he's flirting. That plus they understand each other better. Now if only the rest of the pups can communicate this well.

AN: I haven't given Tracker much attention throughout the story so far, so I thought I'd change it up a little bit. He'll have a bit more attention now. Also I started working again, so progress will be slightly slower again, but it won't be a once a week update like when I worked at the warehouse. Normally I update around 11:00 pm US Pacific time, now it'll be about 4:00 pm US Pacific time


	33. Western Europe

Rocky stayed up that night until they got into Germany. He got a text on his phone saying "Willkommen in Deutschland!" from his phone carrier.

"You see that, Robodog? We're in Germany!"

Robodog barked.

"What do you mean so what? This is exciting for me!"

There were quite a few emotions going through Rocky's head. Like an emotional attachment to a place he had never been before. It was emotions he had never really had in his life. He had similar feelings when Ryder took him in as his own. It was the feeling of… home!... Home… Across the world from where he lived his entire life. It didn't seem right. Then again, what was?

Robodog barked, interrupting Rocky's deep thought.

"Are you a mind reader or something? I'm in deep thought. Adventure Bay hasn't felt like home since Ryder died. Even after all the pride I've shown, after all the fun… there's emotional attachment, but… I don't know."

Robodog barked mockingly.

"I don't need a therapist! I have Everest. And you. Wow! I'm feeling great suddenly! I can tell this München show will be energetic for me!"

Robodog barked.

"Of course Everest will put up with me! She always does! I don't know how!"

Robodog eventually landed the Air Patroller. Rocky had to step out to feel the German air. It's crazy. When he got to Michigan, he trembled in fear, and resentment. With Germany, it was the opposite. He felt powerful.

"Time to mark my territory!"

He took a leak onto the German soil to mark that he was finally here!

"You're happy to be here! I can tell!" Everest observed.

"I've been so excited to play here, now we are!"

"Am I gonna have to deal with your energy tonight?"

"Worse than I was with the Suburban the day we bought it."

"Oh great! You're lucky I love you."

"All I know is I'm tired. I'm gonna at least try to sleep. You know, there's one more thing I wanna say I did here in Germany."

"What's that?"

He gave her a special look, "I need your help!"

"I had to ask."

They went into the Patroller, Rocky accomplished his goal, then went to sleep. The rest of the pups got up about two hours later and sat outside. Late spring in Germany, so it was it was a nice temperature. Of course they weren't real talkative because of their various problems.

"Zuma's birthday is during our Spain show!" Marshall observed.

"I don't give a damn!" Chase said.

"Well that's disrespectful!"

"I'm only stating facts."

Marshall and Chase were gradually building a rivalry. By gradually, I mean someone threw a cigarette out and caused a small brush fire… feet away 100 barrels of oil. Chase already had a hard rivalry with Tracker, and Marshall had a rivalry with Rubble. Tracker and Everest were talking.

"You know, we never talk, it's almost as if we're unaware of each other," Tracker said.

"Yeah, we've never really paid much attention to each other. At least we've never fought, right? In a time where everyone else is."

"It's insanity. Didn't we form this band to be happy? To help them, and even us cope with Ryder's loss?"

"I definitely feel bad for all them. I couldn't imagine losing Jake. And I'm sure you feel the same about Carlos."

"I'm not sure if I could survive losing Carlos the way they lost Ryder."

"Rocky still cries about it every now and then."

"Rocky… he's a hell of a pup!"

"Sometimes I just feel like…"

"Well you know what!? Maybe if you weren't so damn selfish, this wouldn't be a problem!" Marshall yelled.

He got right up in Chase's face. Chase stood up, and they were now face to face.

"I'm selfish!? I'm doing what's best for this band! You're ruining everything!"

"Oh I'm ruining everything!? I carry this band! Without me, this band ain't shit! I'm the common favorite! Everyone loves me, I'm the frontpup!"

That shocked the pups. Marshall was always humble. He never bragged about himself or claimed to be the best. Rocky woke up to the commotion. He wanted to be pissed about it, but he was in Germany! He ran out and greeted everyone friendly.

"My good friends! Best of friends!"

He went around and hugged every pup.

"Now if you can excuse me, I got some German fans anxious to meet me!"

Rocky ran off to meet some fans.

"Well that was weird," Rubble said.

Marshall and Chase went back to their argument. Everest and Tracker both watched him friendly greet a small crowd of friends.

"He's so sweet!" Tracker said under his breath, expecting no one to hear.

"He sure is!" Everest agreed.

"Rocky! Darf Ich dein autogramm haben!?" (Can I have your autograph?)

"Nein!"

Rocky signed autographs for all the fans.

"Darf Ich eine umarmung auch haben?" (Can I also have a hug?"

"Nur wenn du gibst mir ein bauch reiben!" (Only if you give me a belly rub)

The fan got a hug and Rocky got a belly rub.

"Jetzt geh weg!" (Now go away!)

After a day of greeting fans, it was time to hit the stage. Rocky was pumped up.

"Two, three, five, seven, and eight. Alright! Germany! Let's do this!"

"Try not to steal the show," Everest said.

"No promises! So we've been fighting a lot lately. We need to try to tone it down! At least try to get along until we get home. We won't always be within close quarters of each other at home. A 3,200 square foot house to separate us will relieve the stress and angers. Let's just get through this tour!"

"Easy for you to say!" Skye testified.

"You're happy, unlike us! You're not helping!" Rubble added.

"Wocky has a point! If we ju…"

"Shut up Zuma!" Chase ordered.

"Hey! You don't talk to him like that!" Marshall intervened.

"We're taking the stage, let's go!" Rocky commanded.

The countdown started, and the pups got to their places. Tracker played backing track. Rocky stood at the front of stage waiting for Chase's signal. When he heard the three hi hat strikes, the light went on him, and he played the riff with pride.

"München! Wir sind wieder da!"

Marshall ran on and started singing. Rocky was so full of energy! He ran around, jumped bounced, picked up Everest, picked up Marshall and Zuma, he felt unstoppable. He talked to the crowd in German, obviously. He showed appreciation, explained everything with Ryder and how he felt about Germany. The show progressed, and Rocky had to do something before he left the stage.

(Rocky says this in German, but I don't feel like writing German, then writing the English translation.)

"Hey, are there any cameras around me? Is anyone recording me? If so, I got a message."

He spotted two professional cameras and countless phone cameras.

"This is a message to Terry. Heinrich, I guess. If you're watching this, I have something for you!"

Rocky flipped off the cameras in disrespect to Heinrich.

"A giant in your face! For those of you wondering, my dad Heinrich, or Terry, is German. Asshole is an understatement! So Terry, get me if you can! I'm more of a success than you'll ever be! I'm a better pup than you'll ever be! I'll be a better father than you've ever been! In your face! All right here in Germany! Everyone here, do me a favor and get this message to a pup in Michigan named Heinrich. And call him Terry while you're at it! Anyway, back to playing! We got three songs left! Do y'all want three more songs!?"

As Paw Patrol finished, Rocky didn't want to leave the stage, but he had to. Especially because Rammstein was taking their home stage.

"Danke schön München! Viele dank!"

The rest of the pups headed back to the Air Patroller while Rocky stayed out and continued to greet fans. It was a while until he satisfied every fan, but he did it. They headed off that night. Tracker stayed up front while the rest of the pups went to sleep. Rocky came to the flight deck where Tracker was.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just everyone being assholes again."

"I know."

"Rocky, I gotta tell you something."

"What?"

"Well… uh… we're friends now right? Like… all the bad is behind us?"

"Of course!"

"Don't take this the wrong way. Like… I guess if I truly felt this way, I wouldn't have the nerve to tell you."

"Me or Everest?"

"What?"

"I know what's up. I watched Marshall and Zuma Chase each other, then Skye and Chase give little hints to each other."

"It's you. I would say don't worry, but I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse. Shit, that's not really the worry. Like… I don't have feelings for you per se, but… what the hell am I trying to say!?"

Rocky just laughed. He felt like Tracker was messing with him. He didn't really think anything of it. Tracker took his eyes off Rocky and focused on the darkness that they were flying through.

"I think I have an idea of your point."

Rocky and Everest's bunk was closest to the flight deck. Everest overheard them, then stood behind to listen to their conversation.

"It'd make me feel better to be able to get it out. You're so sweet! You have many traits that any girl… or even a straight guy dreams of. You treat Everest like a queen, then go savage if anyone hurts her! You're attractive… I've never…"

"I'm attractive? Really? With what you're saying, you should go audition for Saturday Night Live!"

"I've never been attracted to a guy, probably never will be again. You're a huge exception… and frankly I haven't been this attracted to a girl either. Just… it's not like that! I don't have a crush, I just find you to be… perfect if that makes sense."

"I know you're not gay if that's what you're trying to tell me."

"Thanks… how do you know?"

"I can tell. Marshall and Zuma I could sense before either of them told me they loved the other. You don't set off any sensors."

"A gaydar?"

"More or less."

"I really appreciate how cool you are about this. It's just weird. If I could make a female clone of you, that'd be ideal."

"Well, I could lend you my DNA."

Tracker let out a laugh.

"What?"

"Nothing, just stupid things."

"You wanna kiss me don't you?"

"Uh…"

Rocky laughed, "I would but… Everest."

"I know, I don't expect you to. I'd never go between you two."

"It's a bond we have. From the start, we've had such a strong trust. Unconditional love. If I cheated… it'd ruin both of us… bad. I love her. She loves me."

"And guess why I got that custom guitar head for Everest."

"You know, you're a good pup too. You're loveable, more than Rubble."

"Then why is he able to have all those girls and I can't?"

"You can, you just don't want to."

"Yeah, I guess it's just jealousy."

"Of Everest?"

"Yeah. I love her to death, but… I guess. You and Everest have become really good friends of mine. Like, surpassing Rubble kind of good. And that's another reason this is so hard. I want what's best for you, but I don't want my emotions to get in the way."

Everest was really skeptical about the situation. She trusted them both to not do anything they'll regret… but they are males after all. There was silence for a minute.

"I'm sorry to put you through this, Rocky."

"I don't mind."

"I'm gonna head to my bunk."

He turned around to head towards the bunks, and Everest hid.

"Tracker, wait!"

"Yeah?"

"Come here for a minute."

Tracker sat next to Rocky again.

"You'll find love. You just need the right motivation."

"Whatever that is."

"Remember that kiss you want?"

"No Rocky! You don't have to! Really, I don't want to mess it up for you and Everest."

"You won't. I'll take the heat. Trust me!"

They both looked at each other, slowly leaned in, and kissed. Tracker had gotten just what he wanted. They kissed in the dim light that a lone fluorescent light bulb emitted as the darkness of the outside air was seen outside of the windshield.

"Well…" was all Everest could get out.

Rocky pulled away as Tracker tried to keep it going.

"Remember, one time thing!"

Tracker's realization kicked in and he pulled away from Rocky.

"I don't know how to thank you!"

"I'll think of something. Now I gotta…"

Robodog barked, scaring the hell out of the two.

"Sorry Robodog! We forgot you were there!"

Rocky went to the back and Tracker stayed up front.

"Good night Tracker!"

"Buenas noches Rocky!"

Rock climbed into bed with Everest, who pretended to be asleep.

"Helping a friend mighta screwed me!"

"That was a hell of a thing to do!" Everest said.

Rocky was shocked. He wondered why it surprised him that she already knew.

"Everest! I'm so sorry!"

"Sorry!?"

Rocky rolled around, ears down, tail between his legs only to see a huge smile on Everest's face.

"That was one of the most thoughtful things you've done!"

"Y… you're not mad?"

"I heard your whole conversation. I heard what you and him both said. I was hoping you would do it."

"Really?"

"I could tell you were hesitant. I could sense the pressure. He proved that he cared about our relationship like we do. Especially after that gift he gave me, which you brought up."

"W… would you have done it?"

"Tracker!? Hell no!"

"Why do you say it like that?"

Eventually the pups got to Italy, played there, played in France, then got to Spain. Zuma's birthday! To celebrate Zuma's birthday, they went out to an authentic Spanish restaurant. With the help of Tracker, they were able to navigate everything.

"Happy birthday Zuma!" Marshall said.

"Thanks Mawshall!"

Marshall gave Zuma a huge hug.

"You do know how old I am… wight?"

"Uh… um… 12?"

"Way to go Marshall, you don't remember how old your own boyfriend is!" Chase burned,

"I'm youngewr that you."

"Eight?"

Zuma slammed his paw onto his face.

"How old werwe you befowre Mawch 12th?"

"10."

"So how old does that make me?"

"Seven?"

"Please tell me you're joking!"

"Of course! Happy 10th my love!"

"It's weird to think that having intimate relationships for humans at 10 and 11 years old is bad, but it's normal for us pups," Skye observed.

The pups put some thought into it, but Tracker just disregarded it.

"Bull fighting is legal is here! Any of you wanna see?

"Uh… Yeah!" all the pups said in unison.

After they finished eating, the pups went to a bull fight, watched some brutal action, but had to leave to be able to get back to the venue in time for the show. When they got back, Ghost had taken the stage. They had to hurry and get their gear out of the Air Patroller. Eventually they did, and they took the Spanish stage.

"España!" Tracker yelled.

As usual, Zuma was the only one that never got into an argument. He was treated better than normal, however, because it was his birthday. The Spanish went off as hard as the Germans and Russians. Tracker definitely appreciated being there. For him as Mexican, Spain was like England for an American, like Skye and Rocky. Except Mexico and Spain drive on the same side of the road.

After Spain came The Netherlands, Switzerland, and back to Germany, a treat for Rocky. Although there was plenty of arguing, and hating each other, it had never gotten physical… not yet at least.

Their last show of Europe was London. The motherland of heavy metal! The most picky metalheads as well, even above Germans and Russians… and even Americans. It was the only show in Europe they headline. They felt so honored and were so excited. Well, it wasn't going to be fun and games like they had hoped.

AN: After a longer than planned hiatus, I'm going to start writing my other story Grand Theft Paw Patrol 5. It will be updated within in the next week. It won't affect progress speed for this story


	34. Losing the Camera

The pups eventually landed in London. Tension wasn't any better, and wasn't any worse, but they knew they had a hell of a show ahead of them whether or not they got along didn't determine the craziness of this show. This crowd had a Slipknot standard. Slipknot played their most chaotic show of their career at this exact venue, and it was a hell of a night for them. Same was in store for the pups. Zuma and Marshall were the first up.

"This'll be an interesting show. I think today will either be a day of break or revival. This show is really going to test us."

"Is this show weally as big as everwyone says?"

"35,000 people in the motherland of metal. It's physically our biggest show yet."

"But don't we have the wespect of everwy othewr countwy in Eurwope?"

"If Britain hates us, they'll get everyone else outside North America to hate us."

"You know Mawshall, when you talk like this, you'wre eithewr an expewrt that knows exactly what you'wre saying, owr completely full of shit. I can't tell which one wight now."

"And you love me for it!"

"I do!"

Chase walked out of the Air Patroller, still hostile towards Marshall. Although he didn't have any hard feelings towards Zuma, there was still that close connection with Marshall.

"Not very comfortable being around you right now, but, it's that or be cooped up in the Air Patroller," Chase said.

"Cry me a river and suck it up! Marshall fired back.

"It's not my fault you're tearing this band apart!"

"I'm tearing it apart!?"

"Yeah you are!"

"I carried this band with a broken paw! I'm pretty sure I'm helping build this band! You're causing problems for everyone!"

"Oh you're reversing the blame!?"

"Both of you! Gwow up! Stop blaming each other! You both have youwr own faults to fix!" Zuma interrupted.

"Shut up pipsqueak!" Chase ordered.

"You don't order him around like that you douchebag!" Marshall intervened.

Zuma shoved Marshall to the ground and elbowed Chase in the chest.

"If you'wre going to be immatuwre, I'll make suwre thewre's physical consequences!"

"You side chooser!" Chase labeled.

"Does it look like he chose a side!?" Marshall argued.

"Both of you! Step away fwom each othewr! NOW!"

"It's already starting today?" Everest asked.

"This is an A and B conversation! C your way out of it!" Marshall shooed.

"Actually this is an A, B, and C conversation! So go suck a D!" Everest burned.

"Can we all get along and at least pretend that we're playing the second biggest show of our careers!?" Rocky intervened.

Marshall and Chase woke up the rest of the pups, so they were all walking out.

"Second biggest?" Zuma wondered.

"While it's physically the biggest, Battle of the Bands was more important."

The pups did their best to stay separated from each other until the show. Unlike in all the other shows in Europe, Rammstein played before the Paw Patrol. Ghost played before Rammstein. Rocky greeted Till and Richard as they walked off the stage rather than walking on. The pups were already a mess. Chase was throwing up, Marshall wet himself, Rubble was getting harassed by a paparazzi, Rocky stepped on a nail, Tracker ran head first into a generator, it was a mess.

To get the crowd pumped up, Lost played on a loop as the pups' curtain covered the stage.

"Alright let's do this! Britain! Our biggest show yet! Let's show these guys what we're made of! Metal came from this place! They're really picky about metal here! Let's impress them! Not just that, let's along! Do we really hate each other!? If not, we should show that we truly are best of friends!"

Rocky realized the pups weren't even paying attention.

"Alright then… let's go!"

Lost faded and the countdown started. The screen had LED lights on it, so it counted down seconds left, and so did the large projectors that were built into the venue. An explosion dropped the curtain, and the Paw Patrol logo was displayed on the two projectors, and the pups' background screen. The logo from their own screen lit the stage enough to see the pups. The lights were on Tracker as he played the backing track.

The light briefly went on Chase as he struck the hi hat, then went onto Rocky as he played his riff. Eventually the pups broke into full speed and Marshall ran onto the stage and started singing.

"London make some noise for us!"

The crowd roared and the Metal Pup Song progressed. Tracker brought out his accordion and squeezed between Rocky and Everest. Although Everest trusted him, she was still worried. He faced Rocky, and Everest, with the worry on her mind and the adrenaline going, took it the wrong way, and shoved Tracker away, almost pushing off the stage. She realized what she did and caught him. The accordion fell, however.

Most of the pups were oblivious to it, but that initiated an unintentional hatred towards Everest from Tracker. He shoved her and walked away. A security guard threw the accordion up to a technician. Rocky stood blankly playing his guitar. Zuma checked on Tracker when the song ended.

"What happened Twacker?"

"Everest tried to shove me off the stage!"

"Why?"

"I don't know! We're going to have a long talk after the show!"

Zuma went to Everest.

"What happened with Twacker?"

"I don't wanna talk about it. I was stupid."

"You can twust me!"

"I know… I thought… you do know Rocky and Tracker kissed right?"

"W… what!? Does he know you know!?"

"Tracker doesn't. He might now. I let Rocky, but it might've been a mistake. I thought it was going to happen again, so I shoved him. My adrenaline was a negative factor."

Marshall started his serenade. Rocky looked focused on the music, when really, he took out one his ear monitors to try to hear their conversation. He heard Everest talking about how much him kissing Tracker affected her. He felt so bad. Now Tracker is upset too. The show progressed. Tracker and Rubble now got into it in the middle of a song. Once brothers, now fighting. Rubble suddenly threw a punch.

"You sack of fuck!" Tracker yelled.

"What are you gonna do!?" Rubble challenged.

Tracker tackled Rubble, and they were both on the ground, going UFC. Marshall turned around to see them fighting, wanted to stop, but kept singing, not wanting to panic the crowd. Rocky, Everest, and Zuma couldn't focus because they were distracted by the two fighting. They didn't want to stop either. Eventually technicians had to rush the stage to break the two apart, all while the pups still played.

The two kicked and screamed as the technicians pulled them off each other and dragged them back to their stations. The song they were playing ended, and Flying High was next. The pups had footage and cameras from all over their Europe tour to make a compilation DVD of their experience (with all the fights.) Skye's flying was a highlight, and, being dumb, they never loaded the footage onto a computer, so it was all the camera.

"London… you know, we've gone through so much hell during this tour! We've had to deal with each other… a long ass process. Long story short, we all hate each other right now. You've been here for us this whole time! Thank you so much! All of you in the Pawpulation!"

Skye got ready to fly.

"I'm gonna fly into the crowd! I'll make it interesting!"

"Don't do that! That's stupid! You'll get hurt!" Chase discouraged.

"I'll be fine!"

"Don't do it Skye!" Marshall intervened.

"I'm going to!"

"Don't lose that camera!"

"Oh thanks! I know your priorities now."

The song started and Skye took off and flew high at first.

"Don't you do it!" Marshall yelled.

Skye, to deliberately defy Marshall, flew right into the crowd. Marshall just blew it off, but Rocky realized something was wrong when she didn't come back into sight. He nudged Marshall and pointed it out. Chase knew it when he didn't see her.

"We gotta stop the song for this one! That's the crowd we have to deal with!" Rocky advised.

"Damn it!"

Marshall stopped singing and put his paw up to signal the rest of the band to stop. The pups wanted to be defiant.

"Rubble! Tracker! Stop! Everest! You too!"

Eventually the stage fell silent and Rocky grabbed a mic.

"Skye went into that crowd, and never went back up. I coukda swore I saw someone pull her down!"

There was a lot of commotion where Skye was.

"Is she ok!? If she's ok let her go! If not, let us know!" Marshall ordered.

Chase got to the front of the stage, extremely worried.

"Please! Don't hurt her! Make sure she gets out of there! I want to see her fly off!" Chase pleaded.

"Hey security, you got guys going down there? Do we need to help guide you there?" Rocky asked.

A security guard talking on his radio answered, "We have guards on the way now, they'll be there soon."

"Soon!? Why aren't they there now!? You had time to send guys there!" Marshall yelled.

"We didn't know what happened until you stopped the song."

Chase stood silent, praying that Skye wasn't hurt. Rocky stayed calm, knowing getting angered would pour fuel on the fire, which Marshall was doing.

"You know what!? There's about 100 of you over there! There's 35,000 people in this venue trying to enjoy a show from us! Are 100 people really about to ruin it for 35,000!?" Marshall roared.

Zuma walked over to Marshall to calm him down. He took the mic to explain to the other 34,900 people.

"Fowr those of you who don't know what's going on, Skye is twapped in the cwowd. The was flying low, then someone weached up and pull hewr down. We'wre twying to assess it now."

Meanwhile, Skye was ok, but panicked. She had about 50 people fighting for her while she was trying to break fee to return to stage, knowing the pups stopped to get her out. Security finally got to the area.

"Hey security, you got a reading on her status?" Rocky asked.

The security guards just blew off pups.

"Give us an answer damn it! We're trying to know! What help are you!?" Marshall yelled.

"Give them a minute!" one of the front guards stepped in.

Marshall had enough. He threw the mic onto the ground, deliberately breaking it. He threw his helmet over his face.

"FUCK!"

After his outburst, he threw his helmet too. He was hot from rage, not even Zuma wanted to come close.

"Status report?" Chase asked.

Eventually the pups got a thumbs up, signalling she was ok.

"Good job guys. Keep tearing it up until she gets out of there!" Rocky motivated.

"They said they could use help from you," a from guard said.

Rocky played a riff, which got the crowd's attention.

"Now that I have your focus, here's what you're going to do! All of you over there knows where Skye is. Wherever she is, you're going to take one step away from her! Whether you step back forward, it doesn't matter, just clear a hole so she can take off. Step back on three. One, two, three!"

No one stepped back.

"What is this!? No one did what was asked!? I'm sorry security, this is your problem!"

Rocky stepped away. Meanwhile, the right person finally got a hold of Skye.

"Alright Skye, brace yourself! I'm going to plow through all these people, then get you to a clear area!"

"Really? Thank you!"

The fan held her close, and did his best to protect her from collision. They finally got an open area, and Skye was able to take off.

"Skye! You're ok!" "It's about time!" "Good job security!"

Marshall was finally able to calm down, and Chase got back behind his set.

"Alright, start again, top of the second verse!"

Chase counted down, then they started the second verse as if nothing had happened. Chase was still shaken up, and he wasn't throwing sticks or being hostile. Rubble was, however. He kept throwing mallets at Tracker, who threw back. After the song ended, Skye landed, and the pups circled her.

"I told you not to fly into the crowd! Why did you!?" Marshall scolded.

"I'm not in the mood!"

"Leave her alone!" Chase ordered.

"It's not my fault she's an idiot!"

Skye slapped Marshall. Rocky held Marshall back while Everest pushed Skye away. Chase approached Marshall with hostility. Tracker stopped Chase.

"You're going to approach me!? I'm the victim!"

"I'm making sure you don't hit her!"

"You see us taking cawre of it! Stay out of it!"

"I'm sick of you always pretending to be tough enough to argue with us!"

Chase punched Zuma to add insult. Marshall filled with rage, but just before he could break Rocky's grip, Zuma swung back and knocked Chase on his ass. The pups stood shocked. Chase laid there for a minute in shock, but eventually he got up and got face to face with Zuma.

"That was a lucky hit!"

Zuma knew very well it was, but he didn't want to admit it. Chase had just looked away when he swung, which was the main reason Chase fell to the ground.

"Yeah? So?"

Marshall patted Zuma to get him to back away. Zuma backing away got Chase to back away. Zuma was never a threat to anyone, and had never once shown his power, hence, why Chase thought he wasn't capable of what he was. All of this was in front of a surprisingly patient crowd.

"I just realized something. I lost the camera," Skye said.

Marshall stood frozen, the rage built up, then he slammed another microphone onto the ground.

"Play Detroit Damnation! I need a break!" Marshall yelled to the technicians.

Marshall sat backstage trying to cool off while Chase and Zuma made up. Zuma never developed a grudge, and he wasn't going to start now. While they made up, Rocky and Everest made out. Rubble was adjusting his drums and Tracker was trying to convince Skye not to confront Marshall. She did, and Zuma ran after.

"Marshall! You're gonna help me get that camera back!"

"Fuck off! I'm so pissed at you! You little bitch!"

"Fuck you!"

"Get out of my face now!"

Skye ran off. All this happened before Zuma could intervene.

"Don't worwwy about it Mawshall! We'll get it back!"

Zuma gave Marshall a quick kiss and ran to Skye to make sure she was ok. Detroit Damnation ended and Marshall came back on stage.

"Let's just get this over with and get home! The faster the better!"

The pups finished the show as fast as they could. They were so excited for this show, but it just turned into a nightmare. So much for hope. At least they got good news at the end of the show when a fan returned Skye's camera. They still have three continents left!

"London! Thank you! Thanks for tolerating us today! We love you all!"

Marshall didn't say anything about a next time. They were unsure if there would be one. Finally, they were able to return home. The pups said their goodbyes to Papa Emeritus, and Rocky farewelled Rammstein.

"This show was hell!" Marshall said as they all finally got to the Air Patroller.

Before long, they were a flight path home. A lot of close perimeters for pups that hate each other. Marshall and Chase ignored each other completely. So did Rubble and Tracker. Skye hit Everest again, so Rocky wasn't real happy with her. Tracker, as usual, stayed up front. Everest walked up to the front as well.

"Hey Tracker."

"Wanna explain why you tried to shove me off the stage?"

"I didn't mean to shove you off the stage. I just got… scared."

"I can't stay mad, because… I need to tell you something. We'll be even… I hope."

"I already know."

"Really?"

"That's why I got defensive when you faced Rocky."

"Just know it won't happen again. It was a one time thing."

"I know. And trust it'll be. I trust you and him."

The rest of the pups were either asleep or trying to avoid thinking about the hell they've been through.

"At least we'wre heading home, wight Mawshall?"

"Only to go on tour again in a week."

"I know. I need to visit my family befowre."

"I need to see my dad, brother, and sister."

Everest knew she needed to introduce Rocky to her family. The long flight home felt even longer than it was. A much needed week to rest before touring North America.

AN: Took longer to update than I meant. I've been busy as hell lately, I quit my bullshit dishwashing job and now work at AutoZone, and my band finally has our first big gig in January, so we've been preparing for that. Hopefully I'm done changing around lol. Alright enough of my life, you probably don't care.


	35. Still Getting Messier

After a week of rest, which wasn't long enough because the pups still shared a house, they hit the road with the Paw Patroller. It was going to be a rough trip across North America. Six shows in Canada, 24 shows in the US, and another six in Mexico. After this, they have 10 shows in South America, three in Australia, one in New Zealand, one in Japan, two in China, one in South Korea one in the Philippines, two in Malaysia, one in Singapore, and two in Indonesia.

The pups were playing Rocket League. A 4v4 Soccar match. The teams were the same as the Piracy Prevention objective from when the pups headed to Knotfest.

3… 2… 1… GO! Opening kickoff, Chase, Rubble, Marshall, and Zuma all raced to the ball. Equal pressure from 4 cars caused the ball to go nowhere. Everest and Skye were next to dart to the ball. Skye got to the ball first, launching it towards the goal Rocky was defending. Rocky launched the ball away from the goal, towards Tracker, defending the opposing goal. Everest came and hit Tracker hard enough to demolish his car. By Tracker getting demolished, the ball was able to go in the goal.

RockyPatrol05 Scored!

"Really Everest!?"

Everest laughed it out. They went into kickoff formation again. Marshall branched away and drove around with his rocket going.

"Look! Pretty!"

Marshall had the rainbow rocket on his car and he drove around showing it off.

"That's gay, Marshall!" Chase said.

"Ain't that convenient?"

"Mine's better!" Rocky claimed.

He flew by Marshall with his Accelerando rocket, which sounded like a metal song on a loop. Tracker demolished Everest as revenge, then launched the ball towards the goal. Rocky flew by and blocked the shot not even meaning to. It rebounded to Rubble, who hit it perfectly to the goal. Marshall flew by and blocked it by accident. It got hit right to Zuma, who was able to launch it right into the other goal. It flew right over the roofs of Skye and Chase.

ZumaDiver07 Scored!

"What the f…!? Argh! Damn it!" Tracker was already starting to rage.

Before they were two minutes in, Everest and Marshall also got a goal in, but Rubble, Tracker, Chase or Skye never scored. After Everest scored, Tracker had enough. The heat turned into skill. On that kickoff, he scored. On the next kickoff, he scored. On the kickoff after that he scored.

"You see that shit!? Pure skill!" Tracker taunted.

"You're a real stallion," Everest said.

"No, he's an alien!" Chase jumped in.

On the next kickoff, rather than shooting a goal, Tracker made sure to ruin Chase's, which would've gone in. He then went to demolish Everest. Chase demolished Marshall. Rather than being a traditional Rocket League match, it turned into a deathmatch. On the very last second, Rubble scored to send the game into overtime. On the next kickoff, the ball got launched into the air. Tracker had a perfect shot to send the ball into the goal. As he did, Marshall drove by showing off his rainbows and blocked it.

"Move ball!"

The ball slammed into the wall and towards the other goal. Tracker rushed towards his goal to defend it. The ball darted in front of him, and he ended up boosting it into the goal.

FireMarshall02 Scored!

Rocky, Zuma, Marshall, and Everest won.

"I'm done!" Tracker said surprisingly calmly.

Eventually the pups got to LA, where this imminently ugly tour will start. The west coast sucked. Even Seattle. The mountains sucked, the desert sucked. Needless to say, the pups were slowly losing their younger fanbase because of their screaming and cussing. It was just getting worse. Thankfully, there hasn't been a show as bad as London yet. Half way through the tour was Michigan. This was the pups' pull your heads out of your asses moment… kinda… not really.

It started out amazing for Tracker. Rocky was on edge, but he knew Heinrich was banned from the venue and security would be on the lookout for him… or so he thought. Tracker came upon a girl that looked quite a bit like... Rocky. It was love at first sight! No, it was too good to be true! She saw Tracker staring at her. They both looked away, then slowly back at each other. There was no crowd rush, so she was the only one outside the gate. Tracker walked up to her. They both turned red.

"Hey, uh… Hi!" Tracker managed to get out.

"Tracker… I'm a huge fan!"

"Me too! Er no… That's not what I wanted to say!"

"I know what you meant. I'm Gabbie!"

"Nice to meet you! I'm Tracker!"

"I know!"

"Oh yeah! So uh, what do you do for a living?"

"Not really anything. The Michigan suburbs are my home."

"You live on the streets of Detroit!? You must be tough!"

"No, I try to stay out of Detroit. I really just tried to get away from my dad. Times are tough, ya know? This band helps me through, getting to see you all, listening to your music, watching videos of you all… and Rocky… and Everest."

"They're a good couple."

They fell silent.

"Is there any chance, maybe I can go back to the Paw Patroller with you?"

Tracker's heart raced.

"Hey! Hey! Security! Can I bring her in!?"

"You don't have to ask, just invite her."

Gabbie jumped the gate and walked with Tracker back to the Patroller.

"You mind giving me a tour?"

"Of course! I'll show you the setup, what it's like, and my bunk!" Tracker let slip.

"I'd love that!"

"Do you want to meet the rest of the band, or do you wanna see the Patroller first?"

"Well, I already know one member already, but… I imagine it'd take longer to meet them."

"They'd make a big deal about me bringing in a girl anyway."

"To the Patroller it is!"

Am I really about to bring in a girl!? Tracker thought.

They got the the Patroller, and Tracker's highlight of the tour was just starting.

"So this is the Patroller! Our living space here, bunks here, and up here in the cab, we have our driver, Robodog."

Robodog barked.

"Here's our kitchen, bathroom, and uh… yeah that's just about it."

"Which bunk is yours?"

Tracker showed her his bunk and she jumped into it.

"Most comfortable bed I've laid in for years!"

"These beds are surprisingly comfortable."

She waited for him to climb into his bunk, but he never did.

"Aren't you going to lay in your own bunk?"

Tracker's heart started racing again.

"Yeah! Of course!"

He laid down next to her and she wrapped his arms around him. He had no idea what to think or feel. She started rubbing his chest.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Gabbie asked.

"I never have… not until… now… I never understood."

Gabbie's tail started wagging.

"Does that mean you like me?"

Tracker's started wagging.

"D… Do you like me?"

She kissed him. That was her answer. He was shocked, it was an exact déjà vu of when he kissed Rocky. She was disappointed by how… not good of a kisser he was, but it was his first time kissing a girl after all. They pulled away from each other. She could feel his heartbeat. That was a good sign.

"Do you want me to close the privacy curtain?"

He had no idea why he even asked. He wanted to make sure… it… was going to happen.

"You're just as sweet as Rocky, you know that?"

"I don't know, I don't think so."

"I know so."

Everything Tracker ever wanted was happening one by one. Now… he's scoring! And she's likely here to stay! Meanwhile Rocky was doing stupid stuff to keep his dad off his mind. He took a roll of tape and taped his face and around his body, then started dancing around like an idiot. Marshall was on the ground hyperventilating from laughter. Zuma and Everest were getting interviewed with Rocky doing his nonsense in the background.

"So uh… What were talking about?" Everest asked.

"Rocky's problems with his past," the interviewer reminded.

"Oh yeah, so Rocky's dad was uh… to say an asshole is an understatement. It was here in Michigan last year where his dad came back to haunt him. Traumatizing to say the least. Rocky's acting like this mainly to get it all off his mind."

"How are the fans with situations like this?"

"They'wre weally suppowrtive! You can go 'Oh! I'm so sad!' And they're not just like 'Oh shut up and play,' they listen to ouwr pwoblems!"

"You have some really loyal fans, I can tell."

"Yeah we…"

"Ah my nuts!" Rocky yelled out of nowhere.

Zuma looked back to see Rocky still doing his thing.

"That's not like him, he's usually smarter!" Everest said.

"So… pfft I forgot what I was going to say, my bwain just shut off."

Rocky started to take the tape off.

"Ah! It's pulling my fur!"

He finally got it off. What was originally green tape was now the bluish gray of Rocky's coat because of how much fur came off. After more of Rocky's nonsense, Tracker and Gabbie laid next to each other in the Patroller. The smile on Tracker's face wasn't going away any time soon. Gabbie had her arms around him.

"That was… one of the best things ever!" Tracker said.

"I enjoyed it too!"

"So uh, wanna meet the rest of the band?"

"Can't wait!"

Tracker took Gabbie outside to meet the rest of the pups. Rocky's jaw dropped when they walked out.

"Gabbie!"

"Rocky!"

The two ran up to each other and hugged.

"You're alive! I can't believe it!"

"That's what I thought when I first heard about this band!"

"Dad never went after you!?"

"I've had people that tell me where to go to avoid him! How'd you escape!?"

"Long story. So Tracker, you met Gabbie!?"

Tracker's eyes were wide.

"Uh… heh… about that."

"What?"

"Well uh…"

"Oh you bag of ass!"

"You're his sister!?" Tracker made clear

"Yeah!"

"Why didn't you tell me!?"

"I thought you knew."

Rocky was stunned. He called Everest over.

"Everest! Come meet your in laws!"

"What are you babbling about now?"

As soon as Gabbie saw Everest, she went to hug her.

"Oh… uh, hi?" Everest was confused.

Rocky didn't expect it either, "Everest, that's my sister, Gabbie. Gabbie, I'm assuming you know of Everest."

"Well, that makes more sense. It's definitely good to meet you, and know you're alive!"

"You make Rocky so happy, you know that? You're a good pup, I liked you from the start!" Gabbie praised.

"I never put much thought into it. It's a mutual thing I guess."

Gabbie finally gave Everest breathing room.

"I can see the resemblance now."

Rocky introduced Gabbie to the rest of the pups. She fit in surprisingly well. The sun eventually set, and the pups played around and had fun… until Rocky picked up a hostile scent. He stopped Gabbie in her tracks. Everest was the first to notice the fur on Rocky's neck go straight up.

"Terry!"

The pups froze. Gabbie sank into submission, but Rocky stood tall, ready for battle. All the pups turned towards Heinrich, who looked just as hostile as Rocky.

"I did something to please karma! I get to beat the shit out of Rockford and punish Gabriella for running away!"

"Gotta get passed me to get to her!" Rocky challenged.

"Well as you wished, that message from your show in München got to me! You disrespectful prick! What makes you think you could say that about me not to my face!? How dare you embarrass me in front of my people! How d…"

Heinrich smelled a scent he didn't like on Gabbie. He traced it to Tracker. He knew what Tracker did.

"Do I kick your ass or Rockford's ass first!?"

"W… what!?"

"You do that to my daughter without asking me!?"

"She wants nothing to do with you, I don't need to!"

Heinrich was about to attack Tracker, when Rocky intervened.

"Fuck off Terry!"

Rocky wasn't going to have it this time. He attacked, getting a good amount of punches in. Zuma ran to get security, he knew it wasn't going to end with a Rocky victory. While Rocky got some blood shed, it only made Heinrich angrier. Within a few seconds, he had Rocky pinned and was beating him into the ground.

"Security! Hurry!" Chase yelled.

The pups were too scared to intervene, even Chase. Chase held Everest back.

"They're almost here! Don't worry!"

That was until the trigger holding back Everest's rage was finally pulled. The firing pin hit the primer, and she sprang forward like a round fresh from the chamber. Chase tried to hold her, but she wound up head butting him and breaking his grip. He rolled back to the center of the pups.

"I didn't know she could do that…"

Everest got to Heinrich. He was beating Rocky about 10 feet from the Patroller. She hit him so hard, he flew back and got slammed against the side of it. He got stunned, but he wasn't about to let some girl tear him apart. She ran to him again. He threw what would've been a knockout punch, it's what got Rocky on the ground. When he finally swung full force on her, all she did was stop, the force didn't even throw her balance off.

"Well that's not good!" Heinrich blurted.

Everest's vision went from a white flash, back to red, with crosshairs on Heinrich.

"She's going savage!" Rocky observed.

She pulled Heinrich up by his neck, then pounded his head repeatedly against the Patroller. Gabbie watched, not even sure how to process what was going on. The security guards weren't animal control, they weren't sure how to handle this.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIVE PAST THIS DAY! IT'S TIME YOU PAY FOR EVERYTHING! NO ONE TREATS ROCKY THE WAY YOU DID! NOT ON MY WATCH! YOU HEAR ME!? HOW DOES IT FEEL!? DOESN'T FEEL GOOD DOES IT!?"

Everest stopped slamming his head into the Patroller and started tearing him apart. Heinrich was fighting nevertheless. He started out fighting for rank, now he's fighting for life. Security knew they had to do something just to save Heinrich. Three of them went in to contain Everest, and a few others went to give Heinrich medical attention. Rocky was on the ground watching everything. He was like a quarterback looking down field after he got shoved to the ground after throwing the ball.

"I'll be back! I'll kill you and Rocky!" Heinrich ensured.

Everest broke the grip of all three security guards, and tore Heinrich apart even more. This time, she made him lose enough blood to lose consciousness. A security guard got a snatch snare, and hooked Everest and pulled her off Heinrich. Rocky didn't like that sight.

"Everest! Stop! Don't hurt her!"

Everest still fought. She was going to finish the job. She was going to make sure either her or Heinrich was going to end up dead. The outcome would be obvious if given the opportunity to finish it. They got a stretcher to Heinrich, and an ambulance came through to take him to ICU. Everest somehow got out of the grip of the snare and ran to finish the job. Before she could get to Heinrich to land the final blow, a guard got her with a taser.

"Everest!" Rocky yelped.

The electricity stunned Everest, and would bring her back to a normal state. Rocky thought she was going to get detained.

"Stop! She can't handle that much electricity!"

Rocky slapped the taser away hovered over Everest. Eventually she regained consciousness and lost it. She broke down and cried into Rocky's fur.

"I'm here, I'm ok!"

A guard approached.

"You'll never take her!"

"She's not getting detained! I have to pull the wires out of her!"

Heinrich was eventually driven off by an ambulance. The course of the day was changed dramatically. Rather than Heinrich going to jail for battery and Rocky receiving first aid treatment, Heinrich wound up in the ICU, and Everest ended up on both the venue and Detroit PD's watchlists. To her it was worth it, but the Paw Patrol as a whole was on the venue's watchlist, and from now on, Rocky had to be assigned a body guard whenever he stepped into the venue.

"You almost killed my dad!" Rocky said.

"I'm so sorry!"

"You should be, you didn't."

"You're mad that I didn't kill him? You know I tried."

"I know, I'm messing with you."

Tracker and Gabbie came in and joined their hug. It was a wakeup call for the pups. It reduced fighting significantly for the rest of the US tour. The rest of the North American tour in general was going to be less stressful. Rubble and Tracker squashed their beef, and all the pups except Chase and Marshall got along better. The US tour ended, and it was time to make a trek back west to start the Canadian tour in Vancouver.

AN: Hey everyone, sorry it took so long to post this chapter, the last two weeks have been shitty. From dealing with my step dad and potentially getting kicked out of the house, to switching jobs from a shitty one with good pay to a good one with shitty pay, and half my band breaking up, resulting in us having to cancel a potentially big show with a lot of opportunity. I'm going through a stream of bad luck, but I'll get through it, and hopefully post more in the process.


	36. Broken Patroller

After Michigan, things started to calm down, however it wasn't going to last. The pups had to drive from Boston to Vancouver, which was a long drive down I-90, which would bring them to Seattle, then from Seattle they'd take I-5 up to Vancouver. Well, as soothing as it was, the Patroller was approaching 100,000 miles. While it received regular oil changes, it wasn't maintained well. Robodog knew how to fix problems, but not how or where to get the parts. It expected Ryder to get the parts.

It was a smooth ride, little traffic, plenty to do, no fighting, until they got to Montana. The middle of Nowhere, Montana, at about 7:30 pm with no traffic or phone service. Rocky, Everest, and Rubble were playing GTA, Marshall and Zuma were playing Minecraft, Chase and Skye were playing Rocket League, and Tracker and Gabbie were up front. Tracker felt so lucky he finally found Gabbie. She was the female Rocky he was looking for, and she's not bigger than he is.

Suddenly they heard a bang from the engine compartment. It was faint for Tracker, but it was loud and sounded bad to Gabbie.

"What was that!?" Gabbie panicked.

"This thing makes all sorts of weird noises."

"That didn't sound normal."

Robodog let out a bark.

"You think that was the radiator? No don't stop," Tracker said.

"I think we should."

"It's fine."

Robodog watched the temperature gauge move up and up. Eventually it hit redline. Robodog barked. It couldn't pull over unless commanded to.

"It's fine."

Tracker couldn't see the temperature gauge. Meanwhile, the coolant was boiling in the reservoir from the extreme engine temperatures. The smell eventually seeped into the cabin. Rocky started sniffing the air.

"What's wrong, Rocky?"

Rocky jumped out of the bunk and to the cab.

"Robodog, pull over! Coolant's boiling!"

Before Robodog even hit the brakes, they heard a boom louder than the radiator. The rest pups either heard the boom, or the felt the Patroller suddenly slow down drastically.

"The head blew! This isn't good!"

Robodog slammed the hazards on, then pulled over to the shoulder. The pups met in the cab.

"What happened!?" Chase asked.

"Blown head. Coolant was boiling, then there was a sudden boom."

"Maybe if Tracker had Robodog pull over when we heard a burst from the radiator," Gabbie snitched.

"I didn't know! This truck makes all sorts of noises!"

Robodog barked.

"Well if Wobodog let you know, you should've had him pull over!" Zuma scolded.

"Way to go!" Skye yelled.

"Don't all get mad at Tracker, we should focus on getting this taken care of! Everest, get us a couple flashlights, Chase, Rubble, grab the toolboxes!"

Eventually all the pups got outside to the engine compartment. Thankfully, being summer, it was 50 degrees, rather than 10.

"If we're lucky, we could drive this thing to the next town. If not, we gotta walk and find a town and someone to tow this thing."

The pups looked into the engine compartment.

"The radiator must've built up too much pressure and imploded. With no radiator, we won't get very far," Rocky said.

"The cylinder head seems fine, but there's nothing left of the gasket. The oil is spewing out, and there might not even be enough pressure to have combustion," Gabbie observed.

The pups were impressed.

"I guess the knowledge does run through the family," Rocky said.

"I've done a fair share of favors for guys who are dumbasses."

Her and Rocky both focused their attention to Tracker, who avoided eye contact.

"Does anyone have phone service?" Chase asked.

Across the pups, they had five different phone carriers, and no pup had cell service. It really was the middle of nowhere.

"No one has service!? So we're stranded!?" Rubble panicked.

"One of us is gonna have to walk to find someone who could give us a tow or get parts," Everest observed.

All the pups looked at Tracker, who, once again avoided eye contact.

"I'll go," Rocky offered, "Robodog, just run the generator. Tracker, you're coming with me to find a town. We have that .22 in the glovebox, we'll carry that. The rest of you, sit tight, and don't worry about it."

"Do I have to go!?" Tracker whimpered, "It… it's getting dark!"

"Suck it up! Let's go!"

Everest hugged Rocky, "Be safe! I love you!"

"We have a handgun, we'll be fine!"

Gabbie also hugged Tracker before they left.

"Make sure you listen to Rocky so you don't screw it up worse!"

"Haha!"

Rocky and Tracker set out, and the rest of the pups did their thing. The two walked about a mile with no sign of civilization.

"How long do you think this'll take?" Tracker asked.

"I have no clue."

"It's so d… dark!"

"Bist du bereit?"

"What?"

"Bist du soweit?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Willkommen…"

"Rocky, you're scaring me!"

Rocky waited until Tracker looked away. Tracker's ears were down and his tail was between his legs.

"IN DER DUNKELHEIT!"

Tracker jumped and screamed. He grabbed the .22 out of Rocky's holster and aimed it at the forest. Rocky fell on the ground laughing.

"Don't do that!... Uh… Rocky…"

Tracker realized he was standing in his own urine, some of it on his fur. It just made Rocky laugh more. Tracker had the perfect revenge plot! He simply fired the .22 into the air.

"Ah! Who's shooting at us!?"

"Let's go!"

They both walked off with their tails between their legs. Meanwhile, the rest of the pups were outside. The lights on the Patroller illuminated the outside.

"I kinda wanna smoke a joint again!" Marshall said.

"No you don't!" Zuma demanded.

"You don't think we'll be late for the show do you?" Rubble wondered.

"We have three days. We'll be fine," Chase ensured.

Suddenly, they heard bustling in the trees.

"What was that!?"

Out of nowhere, a large pack of wolves came and surrounded the pups.

"Well what do we have here!? Slaves? Dinner? Or both?" the alpha asked.

"Neither! We're the Paw Patrol!" Chase proudly announced.

The wolfpack started laughing.

"The only thing you'll be patrolling is our needs!" "Or our stomachs!"

"Look, we don't want any trouble!" Marshall announced.

"Good, so don't fight!"

"Pups! Get in the Patwollewr!" Zuma yelled.

Two of the biggest wolves blocked the entrance to the Patroller. Most of the pups cowered, but Chase stood tall.

"You'll never take us alive!"

Robodog was trying to calculate what to do. Chase stood up to the alpha, who was twice his size.

"You wanna fight!? Let's go!" Chase challenged.

"What are you doing!" "You're going to get hurt!" "Don't do it!"

The alpha laughed and took Chase down with a single lunge. He now had a kill stance over Chase. Robodog suddenly made a weird sound. It was a growl, but a bark, and a yelp. What caught the attention of every canine was Robodog's continuous growling, then its eyes suddenly turning red. It was going savage! Or… was it? It flew forward hard enough to not only knock the alpha off of Chase, but also crack his ribs.

The rest of the wolves either went to capture the pups or take out Robodog. About four wolves piled on top of Robodog, but it just flew in the air and spun to shake them off. Next it piled up all the wolves going to capture the pups. An injured wolf pile stacked fast. It continued to plow wolves to their doom. Eventually, all the wolves that could escape ran into the woods. As soon as Robodog ensured they were gone, it landed.

It defended them! Ryder must've programmed it to defend them, and ravage any opposition! They praised and praised Robodog, giving it all the love they could. It let out a bark, then collapsed from a dead battery.

"He saved us! I can't believe it!" "How do we thank him!?" "We start by putting him on his charger!"

Meanwhile, a truck from a local town stopped to pick up Rocky and Tracker.

"Y'all ain't from around here are you?"

"No sir, our tour bus broke down, and we need to find help."

"Well, I just left town, but I can take y'all back. What engine does your tour bus have?"

"A Cummins ISX15."

"Well you lucked out. We have a Cummins warehouse in our town! What's wrong with it?"

"Blown radiator, blown head gasket, and potentially blown cylinder head."

The local resident took Rocky and Tracker to get the part, and within no time, they had gotten back to the Patroller. Rocky and Tracker's legs were sore, they might've walked damn near 10 miles.

"If you need, I could get a tow truck out here."

"If I get help from my sister, we should be fine."

"Say, that logo looks familiar! Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Have you ever heard of the Paw Patrol, band of pups?"

"I think so, what's a song from you?"

Rocky and Tracker tried to think of their most popular song. They sang The Rider.

"I know that song! That's y'all!?"

Rocky got out and went to fix the engine and saw Robodog laying on the ground.

"Um… Hey Tracker, can you put Robodog on his charger?"

"How did the pups not notice him laying there?"

"Unless he's driving, he doesn't warn us if he's about to run out of juice, and they're all probably asleep. Wake up Gabbie while you're in there!"

Rocky climbed into the engine compartment and started disassembling the engine.

"I have an extra tool box if you need it," the local resident offered.

"I got the tools I need, I just need an extra set of paws."

"Well, I don't have paws, but I can still help."

Tracker ran out panicked.

"Rocky! The pups aren't in there!"

"What do you mean they aren't in there?"

"They're gone! All of them!"

"Are you being serious!?"

Rocky ran in, and surely none of the pups were in the Patroller.

AN: There seems to be a sudden rush (or maybe only two or three people) getting butthurt and reporting this story about lyrics from my favorite bands being used on this story, as well as me leaving these little notes after the chapter to let y'all know what's going on. That being said, admin, if this is truely a problem, please let me know via email or PM. If not, then all is good


	37. Dysfunctional Reclaim

Not only was the Patroller broken down on the side of the road, now the pups were missing. It was up to Rocky and Tracker to get it figured out. The fate of rest of the tour was in their paws. Luckily scents and a few wolf carcasses gave them a lead.

"This is very concerning! They're missing, there's dead wolves, blood, and Robodog had a depleted battery," Tracker observed.

"None of this blood belongs to any of the pups, which is relieving. Where do you think they went?" Rocky wondered.

They both sniffed around for scents.

"Is something wrong?" the local resident asked.

"The rest of the pups are missing!" Tracker whimpered.

"Where'd they go?"

"Taken by wolves, that's what we're thinking!" Rocky said, "Do you have any guns? All we have is this .22."

"This is Montana! Everyone has guns!"

"In your truck? We gotta make this quick!"

"I carry a 30-06 and a .40."

"Well we're gonna need to b…"

"Shh!" Tracker ordered.

"It's no secret that we have to use force!"

"No really! Be quiet! Shut off the truck!"

Tracker used his super hearing.

"Two to three miles that way! I heard Skye and a few other voices, the rest of the pups' voices are muffled, they're probably gagged."

"Woah! You still have your hearing after all the time on stage?"

"You've seen the ear monitors I wear. My hearing is so sensitive I gotta make sure they're on right and they cancel out as much a possible."

"Do you even know what you're dealing with?" the local asked.

"No clue," Tracker said.

They sat clueless.

"I just thought about it! We could check the cameras, we'll know for sure what happened!" Rocky remembered.

The three went into the Patroller and accessed the camera server. Rocky pulled up two camera views from when the wolves surrounded the rest of the pups.

"What is Robodog doing? It's like he's… HOLY!..."

They watched Robodog take out the pack of wolves.

"So how did they get captured?"

They got to where Robodog collapsed.

"He saved us! I can't believe it!" "How do we thank him!?" "We start by putting him on his charger!" was heard.

Suddenly two huge wolves came into the camera's view. It was the same wolves that blocked their path to the Patroller. They his underneath while Robodog wreaked havoc. They contained the pups, then the rest of the pack came back.

"You'll never take us!" Chase challenged.

The alpha knocked Chase cold, and another wolf carried him. Skye was slapping every wolf trying to make contact with her. The alpha snuck up and grabbed her.

"I'll like you! I think you'll be my slave!"

"No! Chase won't let you!"

"Well we know what our next meal is! Put the rest of those leashers in a line and follow me! Any of you make a sound, you'll end up like Chase here!"

"You'll never silence us!" Everest yelled.

The alpha hit Everest hard enough to knock her on the ground. The fur on Rocky's back and neck went straight up and his tail went into a hook. After she was on the ground, he gagged her, as well as the rest of the pups except Skye.

"Gabbie! No!"

Eventually the wolves and pups walked out of the view of the camera. Rocky was ready to rage while Tracker was about to cry.

"We're going out to find them! We'll rescue the pups and kill those wolves!"

"But… all we have is a .22."

"I'll help y'all. I got those two guns. Not much ammo though."

"We definitely appreciate it. Now Tracker, time to do what you do best!"

"Play turntables?"

"No, what you used to do."

"I'm all ears!"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking!?"

"Go to church?" the local asked.

"That too. What's your name anyway?" Rocky asked.

"Darrell."

"Well, it's good to finally know your name. Ready to go kill some wolves?"

"No, but I'm ready to save your friends."

Rocky, Tracker, and Darrell set out to track down the wolf pack and the pups.

"Alright, I don't smell Chase or Skye, but they were being carried. Hopefully it's still the case." Tracker observed.

"You smell the rest of the pups?" Rocky asked.

"Yeah, but I lost count of how many wolves."

Tracker stopped in his tracks. He ordered Rocky and Darrell to stop. He used his hearing.

"Wolf pack quarter mile that way! Proceed with caution, don't get smelled."

The three took caution. Darrell, being a human, was slower, made more noise, and wasn't aware of scents. First time he ever willingly followed orders from a dog. They eventually got into sight. Tracker overheard a conversation between the alpha and a few other wolves that the rest of pups couldn't hear.

"Yeah, the German Shepherd will be the first to go. He'll cause problems, and I want Skye for myself. We'll start the kill ritual in 10 minutes."

"Only if I could have the husky!"

"She's all yours! Next to go will probably be the gay couple. We'll torture them, but kill them together to make it up to them."

Meanwhile, Marshall and Chase were arguing about whose fault it was that they got captured. The rest of the pups just sat trembling.

"Really pups? You're about to die and you're arguing!?" Rocky wondered.

"You hear that!? He's gonna kill Chase!" Tracker panicked.

"If he does… his death will be so much more painful!"

Rocky, Tracker, and Darrell observed the pack and planned their attack. Time was running out, Chase was going to get killed soon.

"Darrell, you have a long range weapon and a not so good sense of smell. You stay back, we'll take the handguns and go in. So we'll sneak in, ambush them from the wood pile, you'll give us coverage until we…"

The alpha howled, "All wolves gather!"

Every wolf in the pack gathered in the center of the land.

"As you all know, we aqured these seven leashers! Because of their guard robot, we lost some good wolves in the process. We'll make sure these seven pay! So while…"

"I'm not responsible for this mess! Or the band being torn apart!" Chase yelled.

"You're damn well responsible! If it wasn't for your excessive ambition, we wouldn't be in such a bad position!" Marshall fired back.

"Will both of you shut up for two seconds!?"

"Go to hell!" Chase ordered.

"Omega, grab the German Shepherd!"

The pack's omega went to grab Chase, but Chase headbutt him.

"Outflankers, grab him!"

Two higher ranking wolves grabbed Chase and set him in front of the alpha.

"This one causes the most trouble. Not only that, I want his girlfriend for myself, so he's the first to go!"

"You're not taking Skye!"

Chase attacked the alpha, and the alpha shoved Chase to the ground.

"North end guards, get my kill weapon! It's time he goes!"

Chase hadn't processed yet that he was about to die. Skye laid on the ground bawling into her paws, and the rest of the pups cried to spare him. Except Marshall. He and Chase were still arguing.

"Hey Marshall, before I die, I want you to know I hate you!"

"Joke's on you, you'll be the first to end up in hell!"

"Shut up! Seriously!"

A guard handed the alpha his weapon.

"Chase, you have the honor of being the first to die! I will stab you, and you will bleed out, fresher meat! The next to be eaten is the fat one! Plenty of meat!"

"I'm not fat!" Rubble roared.

"That's what they all say! And the gay couple will be put through the treacherous work. Overworked, yet force fed for meat!"

The pups cried while the wolves howled.

"Any last words?"

"Yeah! Fuck you!"

"Well, say goodbye while you're at it!"

The wolves broke into a howl as the alpha raised the blade. As he was about to thrust down, he picked up Darrell's scent.

"What happened sir?" an outflanker asked.

"I smell a human!"

"Do you want us to check it out?" a south end guard asked.

"He can't be nearby if we just now smell him. After the ritual!"

The wolves howled again as the alpha raised his blade. Once again, the downthrust was stopped, this time by his weapon disintegrating. A loud bang echoed through the trees.

"Damn it! I missed!" Darrell said.

"You saved Chase!" Rocky praised.

"I knew I was immortal!" Chase shouted.

Marshall was secretly relieved. Despite Chase being saved, Skye continued to cry.

"We're under attack! Take your defense positions!

"Quick! Ammo inventory!" Rocky noted.

"I got three 10 round magazines for the 30-06 and two 12 round mags for the .40!" Darrell answered.

"We have two mags for the .22 as well. We can't be trigger happy! Tracker, you and I go in, Darrell, find a good vantage point!"

Rocky and Tracker ran and ambushed a few east end guards. Unfortunately, without suppressors, the guns were heard by the entire pack.

"It's two more pups! Must be their friends! They got launchers! Blitz them!"

It became a zombie situation, countless wolves trying to run at them and their only defense is the bullets. It's not as easy as it sounds, they have about as many rounds as there are wolves in the pack. Every time they used a second round on a wolf, that's one less wolf to defend themselves from.

"Rocky, this isn't looking good!"

"We're winning aren't we!?"

"You don't know wolf nature! They don't surrender!"

"They surrendered against Robodog!"

"That wasn't on their land! This is their land! They won't give it up! The rest of the pups are sitting scared and defenseless! I think you know what we need to do!"

"What?"

"Unleash the beast!"

A wolf got a hold of Tracker, but Rocky shot him off. It took him a second to process what "unleash the beast" meant. Rocky emptied a magazine, and, although he had another, he faked not having it.

"I'm out of ammo!"

The wolves heard that and attacked Rocky. He was on the ground completely defenseless… until a savage Everest took every wolf out. Aside from the ability to fly, she was just as dangerous as Robodog. Before long, the number of wolves dropped 60%, and the alpha was left virtually defenseless. Tracker's prediction was wrong, the wolves did surrender.

The battle wasn't anywhere near as long as Rocky, Tracker, and Darrell predicted. The wolves that were unharmed surrendered to the center of the land, and the injured ones limped towards the outside. The pups surrounded the alpha.

"You'll never take me alive!"

He went to jump at Chase, but Rocky shot him in the leg with the .22.

"Ah! What are you gonna do!? Kill me!?"

"Yeah," Chase answered, "Seems the tables turned!"

"Is this negotiable?"

"Not a chance. Before we kill you, what's your name?" Skye asked.

"Alex."

"Alex? That's not a very wolf name!" Rubble insulted.

"What's a wolf name?"

"A stereotypical name that a wolf would have," Everest answered.

"What's wrong with my name!?"

"Nevermind. Say goodbye!"

Rocky went to shoot Alex in the head, but there was just a click.

"Well I forgot to reload. Where the hell is the other magazine?"

Unknowingly, Rocky used the last round they had to shoot Alex in the leg.

"Spared by default. But we're gonna leave you with something to remember us by!"

Rocky pulled out his razor blade and cared the Paw Patrol's logo onto Alex's chest. The pups laughed tauntingly.

"I would say get lost, but we don't wanna stay. Back to the Patroller pups!"

The pups victoriously went back to the Patroller. Rocky, Gabbie, Zuma, Rubble, and Chase teamed up to fix the engine. They made Tracker learn as well.

"Darrell, thank you so much for your help!" the pups praised.

"Not a problem. Just let me get a back stage pass to one of your shows!"

"One? You get a lifetime pass!"

"Thanks pups! I appreciate it! It was good to meet y'all, and I'll definitely listen to your music!"

Darrell got in his truck and headed back into town. Robodog had a full charge, and off to Vancouver they go! There was one small problem. As they got cell reception again, they got a call from the tour booker.

"Pups! Where the hell are you!? The Vancouver show is tomorrow! Every band checked in but you!"

"The Patroller broke down, then most of us got taken captive by wolves! We're trying to hurry!"

"Where are you though!?"

"Forsyth, Montana!"

"Montana!? You're not gonna make it!?"

"We're trying!"

Now the pups started arguing. It became a shouting match. As they got into Washington, the tour booker called them again.

"I have to inform you pups that you're considered a no show at Vancouver. I need to know if you're going to make it to Toronto."

"What do you mean we're a no show!? We don't take the stage for a good 10 hours and we're three hours away!"

"Tour guidelines. Are you going to make Toronto or not?"

"Yes we are! We can damn well make Vancouver too!"

"Well, that's too bad!"

When the tour booker hung up, Rocky slammed his hat on the ground. Once again, the pups started arguing. The rest of the Canadian tour was hell, and in Mexico, they started having shows like London on a regular basis. It was getting uglier, and they still had three continents to go. They got back home, only to pack their gear into the Air Patroller and head south to open in Argentina. They just had to make it up for Vancouver.

AN: I don't have much to say, there's been a wave attacks on the Paw Patrol community lately, and because I've been so busy, I haven't had time to read Jack dick, so I just recently discovered it wasn't just me, however, I still feel the main troll for my story is someone I know or knew personally because they know my real name. Unfortunately with how busy I am, I can't pour much water onto the fire and help, but I'll do what I can


	38. Broken Patrol

As the Air Patroller landed in Argentina, the pups had to figure out how to stay away from each other. They had significantly less room in the Air Patroller as they do in the Paw Patroller. Marshall and Chase, Rocky and Skye, Tracker and Chase, Marshall and Rubble all had to stay away from each other. Even Gabbie and Skye got into it, kinda by default. Gabbie didn't take kindly to Skye hitting Rocky. Zuma was the only one that got along with everyone.

Argentina was fun, but hell. Tracker greeted plenty of fans. South America was a fun hell, where Tracker got to greet many fans. Since Everest knew Portuguese, she greeted the Brazilian fans. After South America, they headed to Australia. Australia had a huge metal scene, and had been waiting a long time for the pups to play there. Likewise with New Zealand. As they flew from Australia to Singapore, they tried to do some self therapy.

"Alwight, we'wre gathewred to talk about pwoblems we constantly have. We need to talk it thwough wathewr than fighting all the time."

"What's the use? This band is going to break up either way," Chase said.

"It will if you think like that. Does any pup wemembewr why we fowrmed this band?"

"To move on from Ryder's loss, that's getting old Zuma!" Marshall snapped.

"Wyder wanted us to be happy! We're not happy!"

"No but we've all moved on, and we're not dependent on him anymore. We still love him, we still miss him, but we've moved on!" Rubble added.

"Not all of us! I think about him everwy day! This band makes me happy! I can't live without it! But you're all miserwable! And… And…" Zuma broke down, "I want to keep playing music!... It's all I want! I don't want the money! I don't want the fame!"

Marshall hugged Zuma. Chase put his arm around Zuma. This was the closest Chase and Marshall had been to each other without swinging on each other for a long time.

"I'm here for you. Marshall and I don't get along, so it doesn't seem like it, but I am. You're still a brother to me."

"But Mawshall isn't."

Chase didn't have anything to say to that. Rocky was the next to break down. It spread to all the pups.

"Chase and I walked the line of death and we still argued," Marshall said.

"Because of your immaturity," Chase insulted.

"It's more of your douchebaggery."

"Weally!?"

"After Terry came and attacked and Everest almost killed him, we were on a good streak, then it ended after that whole hostage thing," Rocky reminded.

"It's just a shame all this is in vain. We'll start fighting again by the time we land," Tracker observed.

"Can't we just get along?" Zuma asked.

"We used to be able to. Not anymore," Skye answered.

Thankfully the fighting didn't resume until after they landed in Singapore. Singapore was really badass and fun. Indonesia was the same way, insane architecture. By the time the pups got to Malaysia, they were so tired that they didn't even fight anymore. They were just glad the tour was almost over. After a few shows in the Philippines later, it was time to go home. A very broken Paw Patrol. They shared a house above all else.

They unpacked the Air Patroller and fought. And fought. Eventually they all had to have a meeting.

"What's going on is spiralling out of control. We can't tour, record, or even practice normally. We have to figure out if… This is the end," Rocky assessed.

"We don't have a choice," Rubble said.

"Of couwrse we have a choice! We can get through this!" Zuma motivated.

"We really can't!" Chase discouraged.

"That's what we said about Wyder!"

Marshall stood close to Zuma. Chase put his arm around him. The band's end was coming. Whether it was for good, or just for the time being was unknown.

"We can do this! We'll make it!"

None of the pups said anything. Zuma was the only one willing to work with every pup. He was the only one that didn't see the band breaking up as a benefit. Although the pups didn't want to do it, it's for the best.

"I feel so bad. At first you didn't even want this band. But after the Slipknot concert, you wanted it more than any of us. And to this day, you still love this more than any of us," Chase comforted.

"No… No!"

Zuma broke down, and it spread to all the pups. Zuma hugged every pup, then curled up to Marshall for comfort.

"So it's official, the Paw Patrol has broken up," Rocky declared.

The pups settled any conflict. Rocky and Skye hugged, Chase and Tracker shook paws, but not Marshall and Chase. All the pups hugged. Rocky and Chase were considered the main founders, so they had to be the ones to tell the world. They got a camera and put up a live broadcast on just about every form of social media.

"Hey, Rocky here!"

"And Chase!"

"After a long tour, all of our fighting, the torment we put each other through, we got to the point where we can't do what we do anymore."

"After a long talk, the very hard decision was made. The Paw Patrol is no longer together."

There was a short pause. That was it. It was official. No turning back. They had to hide the emotion.

"It was the hardest decision we've ever had to make. We've had such a good time with this band. Together, the eight of us saw the world. We grew together, we played together, we mourned together. But it has to come to an end," Chase explained.

"Whether we'll ever unite again is questionable. But to our fans, the Pawpulation… you're the absolute best. We love you all. Thank you all so much for everything. The support, the love, everything!"

"What's going to happen next we don't know. If we never unite again, this won't be the last you see of us. Or at least some of us. At least two of us will be back."

There was another pause.

"I guess that's just about it. Rocky out."

"Chase out."

They shut off the camera. They didn't know what to say to each other. The eight met up for possibly the last time.

"Who gets the house, the Paw Patroller, the Air Patroller, and Robodog?"

"I'm moving back to the jungle. I have no need to stay in Adventure Bay, or keep any of those. I just need Gabbie and Carlos," Tracker declared.

"I kinda want the Paw Patroller," Rocky claimed.

Rubble wanted it too, but he knew Rocky would take better care of it.

"It'd be fair if Skye gets the Air Patroller," Marshall claimed, "Zuma and I just want the house."

"I want Robodog," Rubble called, "I don't wanna be alone."

Marshall pat Rubble on the back.

"You can stay with us if you want."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!"

The pups weren't sure what next.

"We're likely gonna move closer to the mountain, on the other side of Adventure Bay," Everest said.

The pups split up. Rocky and Everest signed for this house, they didn't want to give it up, but they didn't want to take it and the Paw Patroller, and Everest wanted an easier commute to Jake. Within a few days, Tracker and Gabbie were packed up and had moved to the jungle. Rocky and Everest closed on their second house in two years, and moved in. Rocky had his own garage, so he was happy. Chase and Skye got a beach property far enough down Main Street to have enough room to store the Air Patroller. Zuma, Marshall, and Rubble stayed in the original house.

The pups' luck had drained. They just about lost everything. They still have money to support themselves if it means something. Now they had to figure out what to do with their lives.

To be continued... So don't go anywhere!


	39. What To Do?

Now that the Paw Patrol was no more, the pups didn't know what to do. About four months after the breakup was announced, some pups already had their lives back to normal, and some were a mess. Rocky bought an R34 Skyline as a racecar and spent his life working on it, getting it ready to race. Everest, meanwhile, was trying to figure out something realistic. While they're millionaires, it won't last. She really wanted a family and pups. She had to get a stable job for that to happen. Especially if Rocky kept spending money on car parts.

Rubble spent most of his time either as a construction contractor, or at the bar, where he drank, gambled, and played pool. Chase officially became a Bay County sheriff. It was fun because Foggy Bottom was finally part of his precinct. Skye spent a lot of time shopping and doing girl stuff. Zuma still hadn't gotten over the band. Life felt lonely for him, and he spent most of his time playing his bass. Tracker and Gabbie lived with Carlos. Tracker was the head ranger of the jungle. Like Everest, Gabbie wanted puppies. Problem was, Tracker didn't.

Marshall became a pothead.

Rocky was in the garage working on his car. He was trying to make a groundbreaking engine that put out 650 BHP and got 40 MPG. Everest came out.

"Hey Rocky! Are you willing to not work on that car for a week?"

"Not really. Got nothing else to do."

"Well too bad. I bought tickets to go see my parents."

"I finally get to meet them? They won't hate me will they?"

"Of course not! They'll love you! We're flying out next Tuesday."

"Hopefully I'll have this turbo assembled."

Meanwhile, Marshall lit a joint. Zuma was starting to get really sick of Marshall smoking. He walked out to where Marshall was.

"You know I hate when you smoke dope! Why do you!?"

"It's fun! You've just never given it a chance!"

"It's called dope for a weason! It turwns you into one! Oh wait! I fowrgot, you alweady werwe!"

"And you love me for it!"

Zuma couldn't say anything against that.

"I'd love you more if you didn't smoke weed."

"Just try it!"

"No! Damn it Mawshall! What's gotten into you!?"

"I'm not the lead singer of the Paw Patrol anymore Zuma! Just like you, I'm extremely depressed! You take it way better than I do! I remembered that time in Colorado, and I resorted to this!"

"You wesowrted to that!? What about me!? I'm not good enough!? You'wre willing to lose me ovewr a plant!?"

"Yes! Or… No!"

"What's your answer?"

"You and I aren't as close as we were a few months ago! When the band split up, our relationship kinda went with it! We were closer for a week or so, then we fell away from each other!"

"Because you spend all youwr time getting high!"

"I didn't just start out of nowhere! You started ignoring me! Whenever you'd sit and mope, you shoved me away! When I tried to go in and be with you when you played your bass, you'd shove me away because it brought back memories of the band! You'd go see your family and not invite me! This was all I had!"

"I… I did?"

"I'm not saying it's all on you, I'm just saying you shoved me away first!"

This was the first argument Marshall ever won.

"I'm… I'm sorwy! I'm so sorwy!"

Zuma cried into Marshall's fur.

"It's alright, I'm not mad. At least I didn't cheat, right?"

Zuma mumbled something indistinct into Marshall's fur.

"There's only one thing to do."

"No!"

"Come on, Zuma, it's going to waste! There's nothing I'd love more than for my favorite pup in the world to share a joint with me!"

"Fine. Give it here!"

"You have to inhale. You don't get high from puffs."

"You'wre full of cwap! You did!"

"Just inhale!"

Zuma did.

"Hold it! Hold it!"

At first it felt like he just breathed in normal air, then he felt like he had to cough. Then it started to burn. He groaned in distress.

"Just hold it!"

He let it out and coughed uncontrollably.

"This is pointless! Nevewr again!"

"Give it a minute.

"Nevewr again! I'm sticking to cigawrs!"

Suddenly everything became funny and illogical.

"This must be how the planets feel when they wotate the sun!"

"Me too!"

"I'm hungwy dude!"

"Nice to meet you hungwy! I'm Marshall!"

"Don't make fun of my chips! I'm gonna gwab a bag of speech impediment!"

Zuma grabbed the bag of chips and tried to eat the bag.

"You do it like this!"

Marshall punched the bag to pop it open.

"Thanks!"

Zuma put the bag over his muzzle and sat there. A car passed by.

"Shh! He's trying to concentrate!"

"These sound good!"

Zuma pulled the bag of chips close and cuddled with it. Meanwhile, Rubble had just clocked off at the construction site and headed over to the bar.

"Hey Rubble! You want the usual stone sour?" the bartender asked.

"You know me!"

Rubble walked over to the jukebox and turned on NWA.

"We still need to finish our business from yesterday!" someone challenged.

"Alright! Bring it on!"

Rubble played pool for a $300 pot. Chase also accidentally pulled his dad over. Before long, Rocky and Everest packed to head to the arctic. They boarded a 737 and got to a tiny airport in a matter of three hours. It would've taken so long to drive. The Patroller ride was long enough. They got a rental car… a Chevy Spark.

"This thing is smaller than my garbage truck!" Rocky insulted.

"Must you always be so picky with the cars?" Everest asked.

"I'm embarrassed to drive this. And I thought the R34 was small, and that's a racecar!"

"Just go to my parent's! I'll tell you where to go! Go right on the highway."

Rocky took a right onto the highway.

"Damn it! Sorry I meant left!"

"Really!?"

No one was on the highway, so Rocky pulled the ebrake to turn around. They got to Everest's town.

"At the stop sign, go left."

Rocky was in the middle of the turn when Everest corrected herself.

"Sorry! Right!"

"Argh!"

Rocky locked up the brakes to spin so he could go right instead of left.

"At the big tree go right."

"Right or left?"

"Right for sure. No! Wrong tree!"

"Argh! Girls!"

"Rocky?"

"What!?"

"I love you!"

"How do you have such a good sense of direction, so smart, and still suck at giving directions!?"

Eventually, after Everest's not so good direction giving, they got to the house.

"How are you feeling?"

"Scared."

"Don't be! They'll love you!"

The two went up to the door and waited. Rocky was scared, hoping they'd like him. And if they didn't, hoping it wouldn't affect him and Everest. Eventually, Everest's dad opened the door. He was a huge husky with a shiny black and white pelt.

"Everest!"

"Hey dad!"

Everest and her dad hugged. He could sense the closeness. He and her dad looked at each other past Everest's shoulder. He could see her mom come into view. She had a magenta coat like Everest. Everest and her dad pulled away, and he approached Rocky.

"You must be Rocky!"

"Yes sir!"

Rocky stuck his paw out.

"Put your paw down, boy! Don't call me sir!"

Rocky was caught off guard. When he put his paw down, her dad gave him a bear hug out of nowhere.

"Welcome to the family Rocky!"

"R… really!?"

"Of course! Whatever you need, I'm always here!"

"Wow! Thanks!"

"You do know my name right?"

"Wasn't it John?"

"Close. Rainier."

"Oh… sorry!"

Everest's mom hugged Everest, then Rocky.

"It's good to finally meet you two!"

"If you don't remember Rainier's name, you probably don't remember mine," her mom said.

"Everest never really told me your names."

"That's alright, that just means you'll call us mom and dad. I'm Charlotte, just so you know."

Rainier and Charlotte welcomed Rocky in like one of their own. They knew about everything with Heinrich. Especially after what Everest told them, and them seeing footage from Detroit. They talked to him when Everest was getting the guest room to her preferences.

"Just remember Rocky, you're one of our pups now. Everest has two sisters and a brother. Not only do we have four pups of our own, but we've never just accepted one of the boyfriends or girlfriends like we did with you. We know you're here to stay, and we're honored to have you be within Everest… and… don't tell any of the pups I said this, but… she's my favorite pup! Her and I have always had a close relationship. You're very special!"

Rocky didn't know what to say.

"Wow! Thank you!"

While Rocky was satisfied, Michael wasn't sure how to feel when he walked up to Marshall and Zuma and they were higher than Chase's drum podium.

"What the hell did you two get yourselves into?"

"Dad!?"

"You boys are trouble left and right."

Michael lit a cigarette, "At least I know smoking ain't frowned upon."

"What are you doing here?"

"Am I not aloud to see my son?"

"Yeah, but you drive all the way out here and not tell us you're coming?"

"I live in Adventure Bay now."

Marshall never got comfortable enough with Michael, so he wasn't sure how to feel.

"That was definitely a tough break up. I can tell you're not over it yet. A real shame too. I didn't get to see you perform for a last time."

Speaking of the breakup, it was finally getting to Chase. Skye could sense his depression. He gradually having to wind himself backup more often. She started to get scared to leave him alone. Tracker got into a violent crash in his ranger truck. He wrecked and rolled at 80 MPH while persuing a trespasser. He was fine, but Gabbie wouldn't let him leave her side.

After sobering up, Marshall gained the courage to give Chase a call. Chase didn't picked up, so he tried again. Chase picked up and simply said "Leave me alone!"

When Rubble got home from the bar, he was blasting Straight Outta Compton in his truck. Zuma ran outside, and the two started to rapping it together. It's what helped cheer Marshall up. He watched and listened to the two recite the song perfectly.

"Damn that shit was dope!"

"You two should form a rap duo."

"We should! Give Tracker a call! We'll need a DJ!"

Zuma and Rubble figured out what they were gonna do, while Rocky and Everest played for Rainier and Charlotte. They'd get a lot of people at their shows touring around just the two of them. Chase didn't see any outlook for him. Being a county sheriff was fun, and it could easily support a family, but it's just not what he wanted to do anymore, but at the same time, he didn't want to deal with the Paw Patrol. He felt lost.

AN: Sorry about the uneventful chapter, I forgot what I planned for it. It'll get more exciting


	40. Spring

A few more months went by, and the pups still had never gotten back together. It seemed hopeless. While Chase was struggling with depression, Zuma and Rubble formed a rap duo, and Tracker would occasionally come from the jungle to DJ for them. They wound up getting to be pretty well known. They even got to perform Compton! Marshall, while he got to travel with them, he was still depressed. He felt lonely, Zuma was up on the stage having a good time, but he knew might never hold a mic in front of a crowd again.

Everest was faced with indecision. She wanted to marry Rocky and have pups, but he never stopped working on the damn Skyline. Maybe it would change once they have pups, but it might not. He would also need to have a job so she could nurse them. He's put almost $100k into the car. Every time he goes to the track, he's not satisfied, whether it be not enough power, too much emissions, or not enough fuel economy.

Skye got bored of her shopping obsession, and got a job as a rescue helicopter pilot. She felt like it was the Paw Patrol again, just with a larger helicopter and no other pups. She tried to get Chase to join, but he didn't know what he wanted to do. He wanted to quit the sheriff job, but he'd have nothing to do if he did. Rocky and Everest had gotten many fan letters asking for them to go on a small venue tour as a duo. Everest pressured Rocky into it, so they did.

Zuma, Rubble, and Tracker were on tour as they left. The duo was headed to Seattle as the Trio was in Chicago.

"We tried to go on but yo

Two couldn't take it an three couldn't make it!" Rubble rapped.

"So what we finna do!?" Zuma asked in rap.

"We finna do what we always do!"

"We take the stage when people know we're in a rage!

The other four are back locked up in a cage!" they rapped together.

"So what now!?" Rubble yelled.

"Hey Tracker, go get the 12 gauge!" Zuma answered.

Tracker threw in a 12 gauge sound effect. Zuma's speech impediment went away when he rapped. Marshall sat hoping it wasn't the start of it going away forever. It was one of his favorite features about him! An interviewer pulled him aside to talk about the Paw Patrol.

"Thanks for taking the time to talk to us about what happened."

"I have nothing better to do."

"So what exactly happened?"

"We all started to hate each other out of nowhere. We couldn't handle touring with each other."

"Is that all there is to it?"

"It was a long process. Once best of friends, once united, both before and after Ryder died, and now we're nothing. We went through everything together!"

"Do all of you pups still avoid each other?"

"We're all still fairly separated, but we all talk to each other every now ans then. Except Chase. He hasn't bothered talking to me. I try to talk to him, I call him, he just avoids me. I don't know what his problem is."

While Marshall had strong things to say about Chase, Rocky and Everest took the stage in front of about 700 people. It was a significantly smaller show than with the Paw Patrol, and they were fairly happy about it. It wasn't a normal show where they take the stage and perform the whole time. They talked and interacted with the crowd and played a few songs that Rocky or Everest could sing.

"Seattle! How are you doing?"

Rocky and Everest heard more real answers rather than just yelling.

"It's good to be back on a stage, it's been boring!"

They spent a good 20 minutes talking to the crowd. The crowd asked them a lot of questions about the Paw Patrol, and what happened. They got questions about their personal life, down to what they drove… and even their sex life, which they refused to answer.

"Alright, you all probably wanted us to play some music, so we will! This is a nice and small venue, and we don't have Marshall, so we'll need your help singing!"

The crowd liked that idea.

"Now we need you to sing with your hearts! From your paws, or toes depending on what you are!"

Rocky heard someone from the crowd say something.

"Or you could sing with your crotch," Rocky repeated.

The crowd busted into laughter.

"You're not going to sing with your crotch? Ok, the offer is still available."

"Now our hometown is Adventure Bay! For how many of you is Seattle your hometown?"

The crowd roared.

"There's no way all 700 of you are from right here in Seattle! How many of you are from Tacoma, or Tulalip, or Everett, or Marysville!? Maybe even Bellevue!?"

The crowd was impressed with how well Rocky knew northern Washington.

"Now what we want you to do, is whenever Adventure Bay is said, you scream your hometown! Be proud of where you're from!" Everest motivated, "This song is called Hometown!"

They played hometown just the two of them. Unfortunately Rocky wasn't anywhere near as good of a singer as Marshall, but Everest made up for it. They played many shows in the US the same way. More months passed and the pups who were on tour were off. The pups that toured got a slight financial boost. Marshall, like Chase, was falling back into a depression. He hadn't smoked for a few months as a promise to Zuma, but he felt like he had to break it to be able to live life normally.

They all just wanted Ryder back. If Ryder came back, everything would go back to normal. Life hasn't been normal since he died. Even the band didn't feel normal sometimes. However, once they became worldwide, normal life is a thing of the past… like having Ryder around.

As things seemed at least manageable, things went over the edge for Chase. He had gotten to a high up window on a tall Adventure Bay building. At first, he went up for a relaxing view. Now he felt like he wanted to jump. He felt like he was going to. He wanted to, but he didn't at the same time. He knew that the flick of a paw could end it all. Now he had a war inside his head. He missed Ryder, he wanted to see him again! But if he died, Skye would be ruined, but then she'll die and join him an Ryder. What about the rest? Would they suffer, reboot the band band in honor of him, or would they not bat an eye?

Skye happened to fly by the building. At first she thought he was scoping out a signal, but then a call came up on the radio.

"10-7, we have a jumper at the AutoZone building in south Adventure Bay! We need a crew out there!"

"What!? 10-4 this is Skye, that's Chase up there! I'll be there ASAP!"

"You might wanna hurry, it looks like he's about to!"

Within minutes, a large crowd of people were standing by Chase's drop zone, including his colleagues in the police department, and all six pups. The police department cleared an LZ for Skye so she could land.

"Oh look at that crowd! Why did I have to do this!? Is there turning back!?"

There was a megaphone so authorities could talk to him. The pups were trying their best to get to it.

"There's probably people down there thinking that this is a publicity stunt, and more thinking I don't have the nerve to jump! I didn't mean for a crowd to form like this! I don't think I have a choice!"

With bad timing, Spring by Rammstein played on the radio behind him. It's a slow song Rocky always listened to. Rocky said Spring meant jump in German, and it was about a man who contemplated jumping to his death. Rocky, somehow past the commotion and with the distance, heard the song.

"Oh no! That song's gonna make him jump!"

Rocky pushed his way to the megaphone. He jumped to grab the megaphone out of the officer's hand. At the same time, Skye jumped to grab it. The both landed with it in their grip. They looked at each other. Their friendship had never recovered either. Now, they were faced with a common problem. Rocky let Skye take it.

"Come on Chase don't do this! You have a lot to live for!"

"Like what? We have nothing! Ryder's gone! The band is a memory! Everything is nothing! Come with me Skye! We'll go together! We'll be in a better place! We'll be with Ryder!"

"As nice as that sounds, I wanna enjoy my life while I have it! I want you to be by my side! It doesn't have to come to this!"

Chase still wasn't convinced. Marshall was sick of watching.

"Let me through! I'm going to sneak up and pull him in!"

"You can't go past this line!" an officer ordered.

Marshall blasted right past and ran into the building. He found a way up and tried to enter the room Chase was in, but the door was locked.

"Damn it! Uh… uh… Oh yeah!"

He went to the next room over, climbed out of the window, and onto a ledge towards Chase. He made the mistake of looking down at the crowd and seized up. His legs locked and he hugged the wall.

"I can do it! For Chase!"

He inched towards Chase more, while dangling on a 20th story ledge. One slip and he's gone, then Chase is gone, then Skye is gone. There's more at stake than his own life if he falls. Zuma got to the megaphone as well.

"Wemembewr Chase! There's always the likelihood of the Paw Patwol coming back! We're almost gwown! We don't need Wyder for a fiwrst wesponder anymore! We can get the lookout back and continue what we did!"

"Or if not, the band is always an option! Think! The talent show, Battle of the Bands, our first tour! Remember what it was like? Your drum set! You love it back there!" Skye added.

Chase started to crack a smile.

"Things can go back to normal if you don't jump! Things will never be the same if you do! Just remember, I love you! Zuma loves you! Rocky loves you! I bet even Marshall loves you!"

That was her queue to Marshall to push him back in. As Marshall was about to make the move, Chase decided to live. He turned around to go back in, but when he went to step into the building and off the ledge, he slipped. Marshall jumped forward to catch him. He got a grip on Chase and the window.

"Marshall!? You saved me!"

"Not yet! I have a feeling you're about to drag me down with you!"

"I won't let that happen!"

"Me neither!"

Chase and Marshall worked together to get back into the building. Zuma and Skye were tensed up just watching. The crowd as a whole was tensed up. Eventually the two made their way into the building, and a huge uproar came from the crowd. Marshall and Chase looked down at the crowd and waived. Chase saluted as well. Authorities moved in, and Chase spent a few days in mental health, but didn't stay long. Before long, he was back to protecting the community, still bored, but not depressed.

The altercation helped against Marshall's depression as well. He felt like he finally had a meaning. He saved his… acquaintance's life. They're still not necessarily friends, and although the pups needed it, it still didn't seem like the Paw Patrol will ever be resurrected again.

AN: Sorry it took so damn long to update I've been busier than hell, especially because I work 2 jobs now


	41. It Was a Suicide?

Rocky had finally gotten the Skyline exactly how he wanted it. He put it on the trailer and towed it to the track. He pulled it off the trailer and got it ready for the three lap test.

"I'm feeling good about this round! I think this is it!" Rocky said.

"I hope so too, you won't be in the garage 24/7!" Everest hoped.

"You love it!"

"Rocky…"

"What?"

"I want pups. I'm worried that with the time you spend with this car, and the money that's went into it, I feel like you don't."

Rocky didn't know what to say. She was right about him not wanting pups, not yet at least, but he didn't know she wanted pups.

"I'm going to be honest with you Everest, I don't think we're ready."

"I don't know Rocky, I think we are. There's no better time to start a family than now!"

Rocky had to tell Everest what was on his mind now.

"To be honest with you Everest, I'm making plans to move to Germany. I don't want to stay here, memories are too painful."

"But… I don't want to leave Jake!"

"I don't want to stay here. This doesn't feel like home."

"But…"

"1:30 track cars, 2 minutes until we line up!" the track coordinator said.

"Come on Everest! Germany! A new home! A new place! A fresh start, I'm fluent in German, you know enough, we'll move to Germany, have pups, start a family! It'll be great!"

"I don't know… it's worth a try! I don't want to move so far, or be away from Jake, but… you promise we can have pups, you get rid of this car and get a job that can support us?"

"I'm not letting this car go, but everything else I promise!"

The track coordinator announced over the intercom again.

"1:30 track cars! Line up!"

There was a large variety of cars, however Rocky was the only one with a Skyline. At the end of three laps, Rocky broke his personal record from a time he got the worst gas mileage. In fact, the only cars that beat him were a Porsche 918, a Tesla P90D in ludicrous mode, and a Lamborghini Veneno.

"I'm scared to calculate gas mileage."

Rocky parked by his truck and calculated gas mileage and emissions readings. He set a personal best for emissions, but felt like his mileage reading wasn't right.

"Uh…"

"What?"

"Let me recalculate this!"

He recalculated and got the same number.

"Is it good?"

Rocky was speechless.

"Bad?"

"42.3 MPG! On a race track! How the hell…"

After a day of success, the next day was the fourth anniversary of Ryder's death. It didn't just bring back a painful memory, it brought a confession from a doctor. Everest had gotten a job as a waitress at a sports bar, and she was working there. As normal, Rocky was working on his car with the TV on. Chase was on a patrol through Adventure Bay while Tracker was on a patrol through the jungle with Gabbie. Rubble was at the bar, Zuma was eating breakfast in the kitchen and watching Pound Puppies, Skye was at Katie's salon, and Marshall was at a smoke club.

Meanwhile, a doctor, Ryder's doctor, was on national news. Headline read "Doctor Breaks Silence: Ryder's Death a Suicide?" Dr. Lorenz was confessing a dark secret.

"I should've told the world this earlier. I have been living in regret and agony ever since Ryder died."

Zuma got bored of Pound Puppies and flipped through the channels. He came upon CNN, skipped it, then realized it said "Ryder" and he went back.

"W… No!"

There was a hockey game Rubble was loosely keeping track of while he was playing pool. Next to the game was the newscast. When he checked the score, he saw the FOX News headline. His pool opponent sank three balls in one round, but suddenly that was the least of his worries. Chase got a radio call from another officer.

"Chase! You might wanna tune to 630 AM!"

"Why?"

"Just do it! It's… uh…"

Chase tuned to 630 AM on his cruiser's radio. Tracker's patrol Ranger's radio was already tuned to an AM station because FM stations were always static. The newscast played on both of their radios. Rocky finally got from under the car and glanced at the TV to see the headline. Everest finally got out from the kitchen, and saw the headline. Marshall was the only one that didn't know until someone he was smoking with pointed it out.

"Hey Marshall, isn't that about your old human?"

"Huh? What?"

Marshall looked to see the headline and suddenly felt sober.

"Oh no!"

Marshall dropped his cigar, or joint, or whatever the hell he was smoking and saw he had six texts from Zuma alone. Skye was getting her fur perfected by Katie when they both saw the headline. Katie dropped the brush when she saw the headline.

"Uh oh!"

She ran into a backroom.

"Katie?"

Now all the pups were simultaneously watching or listening to the newscast.

"Ryder came to me for depression and various other problems he was having. With the way the Paw Patrol was going, and how happy the pups were, you'd think he'd be happy too. He was extremely suicidal."

The pups couldn't believe what they were hearing. Chase had to park his car because he was starting to break down.

"Ryder demanded suicide pills. Well, I wasn't going to give him suicide pills, but he needed to wake up. I gave him an extremely low dose of cyanide. He wound up in the hospital. The pups never found out what happened to him, they thought it was a stomach virus. It gave him realization for a little bit."

The pups started to feel guilty about how blind they were.

"Ryder died four years ago today, it was ruled that he fell. I've kept it to myself for four years, and I can't do it anymore. None of the pups got saw Ryder fall. He sent them all away and jumped, hoping they wouldn't find his body. He didn't want them to know he died, but they found out. They deserve to know it was a suicide."

Every pup including Gabbie was in tears.

"And as for me, I am a perpetrator of medical malpractice for letting it happen, and not letting anyone know. Therefore, I am surrendering my medical license and turning myself in to be faced with legal charges."

The pups were unsure what to feel. They had to meet up somewhere. However, now the paparazzi would be on their asses.

Rocky: Did you pups see the news!?

Chase: I heard it on the radio… i cant believe it

Zuma: I can't believe he did that to us!

Skye: Its so hard to fathom

Tracker: Are u pups ok?

Marshall: no

Rubble: no

Rocky: We need to meet up. This is big

Chase: Im on shift

Tracker: Im 2 ½ hours away!

Everest: I got off early. I agree with rocky.

Zuma: Marshall come home. Everyone meet at our house.

Marshall: do i haf 2?

Rubble: im ovr the legal drivig limit, can sum1 pick me up?

Chase: Marshall probly is too… ill pick both you up

Marshal: im sobR nigga

Zuma: No you're not.

Marshall: shut up!

Chase: Im on duty and i will pull you over!

All the pups except Tracker and Gabbie got to Marshall, Zuma, and Rubble's house.

"This is a big deal! If things weren't bad enough, now we found out Ryder left us to suffer!"

"What do we do now!?"

"There's not much to do. Just like after his death, we have to continue our lives. It's tough, but we've made it through his death, so I think we can survive some bad news."

The pups all slowly started to break down. Before long, Tracker and Gabbie arrived. He set a personal record for fastest commute to Adventure Bay. He was now almost deaf in his right ear from Gabbie yelling at him to slow down when he was doing 90 on the highways.

"How are you pups doing?"

"Miserwable!"

Suddenly they felt the presence of a spirit. Zuma knew what was up.

"Wyder? That's you, wight?"

Ryder appeared in spirit form in front of the pups.

"Ryder!" every pup yelled in unison.

The pups were happy, but sad. All the same emotions Zuma had when Ryder came to him

"I'm sorry pups. I should've told you sooner as well. I shouldn't have done it."

Seven pups broke down in sorrow, but Rocky and Chase weren't going to accept a sorry. The pups wanted so bad to cuddle up to Ryder, but they couldn't.

"I wasn't right in the head when I jumped off that cliff. My intent was to make it to where you pups never found out. I was so upset with myself when you did."

"But we still would've been upset when we would've never found out where you went!" Chase testified.

"It wouldn't have had the same effect as it did when you found out. I'm not making excuses. I never should've did what I did, and I'm sorry! I truely am! There's nothing I regret more than that! Not what happened with Katie, or how I screwed up my life, or…"

"What about with Katie"

"How did you screw up your life?"

Ryder didn't realize the pups knew nothing about what happened before he jumped.

"I know you pups thought I was an angel. And I was for years. One day, it all went downhill."

The seven pups broke down more, but Rocky and Chase weren't having it.

"So rather than fixing your problems while you're alive, you leave us to suffer!? Nothing you could've done could've been worse than what we went through!" Chase snapped.

Ryder had nothing to say. He was going to let the pups vent their four years of anger and sorrow.

"We ached over you! Our lives almost ended because of your death! We mourned you!" Rocky added

"And I missed you! No day goes by where I don't wish I didn't jump!"

"You want to hear something!? You could've killed Skye, you could've killed Rocky, you could've killed Marshall, you could've even killed me, and a sincere apology would've been enough, but not now!"

"I think he gets the picture," Skye said.

"Why did you do it?" Marshall asked.

"I already explained the best I could. I don't want to make it worse."

The pups were frustrated, and it'd be hard to forgive him for what he put them through… but… they all still love him with all their hearts.

"Before I go, I want you all to know that I'm proud of you! The band went double platinum worldwide! I know you're broken up now, but no matter what happens from here on out, I will always be proud of you, and I will always love you!"

Ryder disappeared and left the pups in complete dysfunction.

"What do we do now?"

"I'm going home," Skye said.

The rest of the pups agreed. None of them could sleep that night. The next few weeks were interesting. Ryder's doctor got sentenced to 10 years on a plea. The pups weren't sure how to feel about it.


	42. Eight Way Wedding

A few more months passed by, and Rocky was making preparations to move to Germany. Everest still didn't want to go, but maybe it was for the best. She wanted a family… but suddenly her desire to have pups was passed up by wanting to reform the band. That wouldn't be doable if they're on the other side of the world. One night, they were watching TV and talking about their future.

"I'm getting kinda… excited for pups! It'll bring good! And joy!" Rocky admitted.

"You know Rocky, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

Everest jumped onto Rocky.

"I say we get married, get our plans together, and get officially on the same page. We bring our lives back to our original glory!"

"Are you saying bring the Paw Patrol back?"

"You read my mind!"

"Does this mean we're not moving to Germany?"

"Not yet."

"Alright then, no pups yet!"

"Not yet."

"Damn, I wanted to do this when we got to Germany!"

"Do what?"

"I'll be back."

Rocky hid the surprise in the glovebox of the Skyline. He knew Everest would never look there. He knew she hated it for stealing him from her. Now that he had it right, he wasn't going to let it affect them anymore. He got to the doorway to their room.

"Hey Everest!"

"What?"

"Come closer."

"I'm scared."

When Everest started walking towards Rocky, he pulled out the surprise and jumped to her.

"Rocky…"

"Everest, will you marry me?"

Everest was shocked. She didn't expect him to propose already.

"I… I… r… Really?"

"Is that a yes?"

"Of course!"

They kissed and hugged. Finally! The inseparable bond was officially sealed! Rocky tried to put the proposal tag onto Everest's collar, but he had a hard time.

"That means bad luck Rocky."

"Shut up, don't jinx it!"

"So uh… when do we start planning?"

"Well, I made plans… but in Germany."

"Can't you just bring the plans you had here?"

"I guess. I think we should also have our wedding be a revival for the band. Invite all the pups, then form it again there!"

"You read my mind again!"

Before long, the word was out to pups, then Adventure Bay, then the Pawpulation, then every metalhead, kid, and pup that looked up to the Paw Patrol. Not too long after that, the wedding came. It seemed like thousands of people wanted to come, but there were only so many that could be there. Everest's parents came down to Adventure Bay for the first time. Somehow, completely unexpectedly, Papa Emeritus agreed to be the minister.

The day eventually came. February 15th, every pup and everyone close to the pups, even Papa Emeritus came to the wedding. Rocky wished Till Lindemann or Corey Taylor could've showed up. All the pups except Everest were together and happy for the first time in… likely two years. Marshall and Chase were talking to each other, Rocky and Skye were like brother and sister again, Rubble and Tracker were just like how they used to be. Zuma, as usual, was happy.

Marshall was Rocky's best man and Skye was Everest's maid of honor, despite having to choose between her and Gabbie. The guests were still pouring in. Rocky was telling a joke to the pups, but there was a surprise behind him.

"So I said I see you found my secret stash!"

None of the pups laughed.

"What, that wasn't funny?"

"WEISSES FLEISCH!"

Rocky got startled and jumped high enough for Till to catch him.

"Till! You made it! Fick mich in der arschloch! Du hast mir angst gemacht!"

"Nein danke!"

The venue was reaching its full capacity. Till put Rocky down and sat down at a table.

"So what do y'all say we set aside our differences and bring the band back?" Rocky offered.

"Are we ready?" Marshall asked.

"Of course we are! After all we've been through, and recently figuring out Ryder's death was a suicide, there's no better time!" Chase motivated.

"And if we're not, the Pawpulation is!" Skye added.

Rocky looked at a clock.

"Is that the time!? We gotta get to the back!"

All eight pups would walk the aisle. Rainier and Jake would walk Everest down to Rocky. The seven pups and Carlos were gathered before the ceremony starting.

"How are you feeling Wocky?" Zuma asked.

"Honestly, I don't know."

"So when are the two of you gonna have this happen?" Carlos asked Tracker and Gabbie.

"Soon...ish… I hope," Tracker said.

"Are you ok Tracker?" Gabbie asked.

"I gotta take a leak!"

"It's not too late."

The wedding music started playing.

"Or maybe it is."

The piano to Fiction by Avenged Sevenfold started playing. Marshall and Zuma walked out first, then Skye and Chase, then Tracker and Gabbie. Rubble and Carlos walked out together because they were both single. Rocky walked out, and The Next Episode by Dr. Dre started playing. It went back to Fiction, and Everest, Jake, and Rainier walked out. They got to Rocky. Rainier shook Rocky's paw.

"I know you'll take care of her. Just remember, you're my son now."

"I'll defend her with my life."

Rocky and Jake did their dog-human interactions.

"You've always taken good care of her Rocky! Make sure you don't change that! You're a good pup, I know Ryder hasn't been there to say that, but I am!"

"Thanks Jake!"

Blah blah blah, on to Papa Emeritus.

"We are gathered here today, not for a ritual, but for a celebration! Oh wait, it is a ritual, but not the one I'm used to anyway. We're here to… uh… Wed Rocky and Everest. And now, we shall bow our heads for a prayer."

Everyone bowed their heads to pray.

"Dear Satanus, father of the pits, or Lucifer, or Behemoth, we pray that you watch over our little friends here."

Everyone was giving Papa a look.

"What? It was a joke… no sense of humor, alrighty then. Dear heavenly father, we bow our heads to pray on your behalf. To thank you for all you have done, to…"

Papa was still getting looks.

"What now?"

"Prayer isn't allowed!" someone yellee.

"You're joking right? Political correctness is out of control nowadays!"

"Say a prayer, Papa," Rocky approved.

"I can't, I might offend someone. So on we go then. Everest, do you take this man… or pup to be your lovely wedded husband, to stand by him, love him, for now and forever?"

"I do."

"Rocky, do you take this pup to be your lovely wedded husband, for… wait…"

Everyone started laughing. Papa was sure glad the makeup he was wearing covered the red on his face from embarrassment.

"So correction…"

A random police helicopter flew overhead.

"Plane!" Marshall yelled.

"Rocky, will you, until the FBI comes and finds you, take Everest to be your lovely wedded wife, from the pinnacle to the pit?"

"Ich mache!"

"Nein!" Till yelled

"Is there anyone here who objects to the marriage of these two?"

Rubble raised his paw, let a huge one rip, then went back to his place.

"You pups and farting. Rocky you may n… Oh that's rancid!"

"If this is my wedding, I'm scared to know how dysfunctional Marshall's will be," Rocky said.

Papa stuck a clothespin over his nose.

"Rocky, you may now kiss the bride!"

Rocky was finally able to kiss Everest and signal that they were married. When Two Are One by Atreyu was supposed to play, but Rubble hacked the system to play Gangsta Gangsta by NWA.

"Oh well, this actually kinda fits," Rocky said.

"Give it up for the newlyweds!" Papa announced.

The people at the wedding cheered, but not enough for Papa.

"Don't make me play Justin Bieber on repeat!"

The ceremony ended, and it was time for Rocky and Everest's surprise for the rest of the pups. What the pups didn't know is their instruments were set up.

"Alright, now it's time for a performance from the Paw Patrol!" Papa announced.

"What?" the pups were confused.

"We're performing!" Rocky said.

"We are?" Marshall asked.

The pups got to their instruments.

"It's been eight months since we've wehearsed!" Zuma testified.

"Oh well," Everest said.

The pups weren't sure what to do, but they had a couple hundred people waiting in them.

"Alright, one, two, ready, go!" Marshall counted down.

Some pups played Paw Patrol, some played The Rider, some sat clueless.

"Woah, stop! Uh…"

"Self Titled! Paw Patrol!" Rocky shouted.

Chase counted down. He and Zuma started playing while Tracker mixed the sound. It was sloppy, they hadn't played in so long, but it was a start. The start of a new era! The start of bringing back the Paw Patrol! Rocky did a guitar slide and the rest of the pups started. Marshall had the most trouble. His voice changed drastically in eight months.

"Facing a death that almost tore us apart!

Togeth… Yikes!"

He was way off pitch.

"Hold on…"

His stage fright was starting to kick in.

"I need to get the pitch right!"

He had to walk away from the mic to be able to practice his singing. He hoped his voice change wasn't going to affect his singing. There was only one way to find out. He found the right pitch, then they started the song again. This time, he was dead on! It sounded even more powerful than before! The pups played their hearts out, just like they did before they broke up, before they started fighting, back when… they still had their spirit!

"Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

We've fallen now we rise!

Paw Patrol! Paw Patrol!

Having the time of our lives!"

The small amount of people sang along to it, and the pups felt more alive than they had for years! They played a few songs, before they took a much needed break. Their endurance went away as well. Before long, it was time for Rocky and Everest to head out because the venue's curfew was approaching fast. To make it up to Rocky, Everest agreed to have their honeymoon in Germany.

For the bouquet toss, Marshall ran in and caught it, beating every girl to it, and embarrassing Zuma. For the other thing… I forget what its called, it's that band that the dude tosses into the crowds for the single dudes to catch… I forgot what it's called, but I'm sure y'all know what I'm talking about. Rocky threw it back, and Zuma jumped in front of Papa Emeritus to steal it from him. Now that Zuma has that, and Marshall has the bouquet, it was obvious who was gonna have the next wedding.

Rocky and Everest walked to the Skyline, which Everest didn't like having be their wedding car, and drove off, despite it not being street legal. Thr next day, they headed to Germany. As soon as they came back, the pups met up again for the band. They contacted Roadrunner, and was back in the studio a week later. They made an announcement that they were out of hiatus, and millions of people became excited for the next album and the tour that followed.


	43. Rebound

The pups loaded their gear into the Patroller, and they headed to Vancouver. Rocky and Gabbie rebuilt the engine, and Rocky did plenty of overdue maintenance things, such as replace the clutch, put new tires on, change out the brakes, and bulletproof the radiator. Gabbie helped a lot, especially during the week her and Tracker got into a big fight and she stayed with Rocky and Everest. Zuma had the pups gather in the cab.

"Alwright pups, befowre we go into the studio and attempt to make new music, we gotta settle any gwudges we have. Is there anyone anyone wants to say?"

"Your speech impediment is slowly but surely fading away," Skye sadly said.

"Mawrshall doesn't like it either."

Everest punched Chase.

"Oww! What the hell?"

"That's all I needed to do to clean the slate."

Every pup went and punched Chase.

"Why are you all taking it out on me?"

"Because we love you!" Zuma said.

"I love you all too! I was a real douche. I took what I had for granted. I took my friends for granted! The old Chase is back! Never to leave! I promise!"

"One that you're going to break!" Tracker tested.

"Ah, come here!"

Chase bear hugged Tracker, and they were on the ground playing like pups.

"I think the old all of us is back! Ryder's death isn't such a hard hit anymore!" Rocky added.

"Just don't go back to being so nerdy!" Marshall burned.

"Hey, I grew out of that before Ryder died!"

"Rubble just needs to plump out again! He lost a lot of weight!" Skye observed.

"With how much beer I drink, it won't take long!"

"Do you even drink that much?" Chase asked.

"My kegs are full."

"The ones you play with!?"

"I only need one to record! Oh wait, I think I filled them all."

The pups were silent.

"Do we all have the same idea?"

The pups busted out one of the kegs. They were sure glad they had a robot for a driver. The pups toasted to the band being back together. The problem was, once they got to the studio, all eight of them tripped getting out of the Patroller. The producers weren't too happy. The studio techs set upnthe instruments while the pups stumbled around. All eight finally situated into a room.

"Yeah! Paw Patrol going big! We're gonna get big! I know we are!" Marshall yelled.

"We'll headline one day! Maybe even open for Slipknot!" Tracker added.

"We have! Remember? We headlined… uh… I think 11 tours!" Chase attempted to correct.

"No, only seven! You need more beers!" Rocky pushed.

"And we opened for Slipknot in Californication!" Everest claimed.

"You mean California? Californication is a band! They made that song Red Hot Chili Peppers!" Skye corrected.

"Remember Papa Emeritus from the band Metallica?" Rubble asked

"Oh yeah, they sing Du Hast, wight?" Zuma wondered.

"No that's Iron Maiden!" Skye corrected.

The producers came in.

"Hey pups, time to record!"

Marshall tried to get up, but he fell forward on his face and passed out. Zuma tried to pull him, but he fell on top of him and fell asleep instead.

"Man, we're out of beer!" Rubble announced.

He tried to throw the keg, but it landed right in front of him.

"Distance record!"

"Maybe today isn't the day," a producer said.

The pups went from motivated and ready to record to passed out drunk. While it killed momentum, it worked out in the long run, because they never once fought during the recording process. The next day, they started the recording. Rather than commuting back and forth, the pups stayed and slept in the Patroller.

"Your voices have changed a lot! Can you still sing Marshall?" a producer asked.

"Yeah, I had to do some conditioning, but I can."

Some people from Roadrunner corporate came in.

"Have you pups been keeping any record of your album sales!?"

"Uh… not really."

None of the pups paid any attention to album sales, they had other things to worry about.

"Well, you're officially our best selling band. Paw Patrol went diamond two weeks ago."

"Does that make it two million sales?" Zuma wondered.

"Times five!"

"10 million sales? Isn't that easy to achieve?" Marshall wondered.

"Not on a single album when you've only been around for four years! That's phenomenal!"

"We're diamond!?"

The pups were in denial, it didn't feel real. Kind of like Ryder's death, it didn't seem like it could possibly happen to them. Except, instead of a life changing tragedy, it was the ultimate sign of success and happiness! They were back together, they were close, Ryder's death doesn't feel so tragic, and they were one of the greatest selling bands already! The first of the modern metal wave to go diamond!

The pups slowly broke down in tears from happiness. The first time it had ever happened since… maybe ever. Some tears dropped when they won Battle of the Bands, and when they finished their first album, but never altogether and uncontrollably. It was the start of a rebound.

Before long, the new album was done. Released on February 10th 2021. (Damn, it's a little further in the future than I'd like it to be.)

Rebound

Alone

Neutralized Acid

Jump

Dysfunctional Reclaim

Lortap WAP (joke song)

What's Behind Us

Welcome to the Stage (intermission song)

On a Roll

Born to Fight

Light it Up

City Skyline

Together

Heart of the Pawpulation

"Alright pups, out of celebration of going diamond, we're launching a festival tour. Three day festivals that'll have a nationwide tour. Day one will have classic metal bands, day two will be bands of your choice, and day three you will headline above a desired variety. It's a selling tactic if you know what I mean."

The pups put some thought into what bands were going to tour. Slipknot was going to headline day two, there wasn't a single doubt. They decided to give fans the choice. After weeks of making choices, then seeing if bands wanted to be on the tour, they were able to get the lineup. Metallica was the only big band they couldn't get on board with.

Day 1, Iron Maiden (headlining), AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Accept, as well as other classic bands.

Day 2, Slipknot (headlining), Rammstein (New York and Chicago only),Trivium, Ghost, Avenged Sevenfold, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Of Mice and Men (except New York and Chicago), and other more modern bands.

Day 3, Paw Patrol (headlining), Korn, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Disturbed,Five Finger Death Punch, Green Day, Hatebreed, Crown the Empire, and a fewer amount of bands because the pups were going to have a long setlist.

The next few months, Rocky and Gabbie got the Patroller road ready, and the pups rehearsed a lot. The interesting situation came about two months before the tour. The pups were all sleeping over at Marshall, Zuma, and Rubble's house, where the garage was soundproofed and they could rehearse. Skye started to have an extreme pain in one of her lungs, and she couldn't breathe. The pups that were asleep were woken by her coughing and wheezing.

"Skye!? Are you ok!?" Chase panicked.

"It's… painful to breathe! I can't even lay down!"

"Haven't you been having chest pains?"

"I've been having a non stop pain for two days! I gotta go to the doctor!"

Now all the pups were wide awake. Chase carried Skye to her 370Z and rushed her to the hospital. The rest of the pups followed. Once they got there, Skye and Chase were brought into a room, and Skye was put on a respirator and x rays were taken. Before long, the doctor came back with the diagnosis.

"Well, there's a few things you're going to need to know. You have a blood clot in your right lung."

They both panicked.

"Honestly, it's good, because it didn't go to your brain instead, which would've caused a stroke. All you need is some blood thinners to clear it up. We can massage the clot free, and then the thinners will dissolve it before it causes any more damage."

They were relieved to hear that.

"Now… when we were took the x rays, we came upon what caused your blood to thicken. This might be a bit of a shock."

"What caused it!?"

"It's nothing bad is it!?"

"Well, it depends on how you look at it. You have pups on the way."

A huge smile formed on Skye's face. Chase stood blank, not knowing what to think.

"Pups!? I'm pregnant!?"

"Here's the ultrasound. One two three, and four."

Skye started to break down from happiness, "I don't deserve this!"

She pulled Chase close and clung to him.

"Can you believe this!?"

The emotion finally hit Chase and he joined her with shedding tears.

"Congratulations! I don't know how you didn't have speculation though. You're almost four months along!"

(I know dog pregnancies only last 9 weeks, but the pups' ages go by human years, so I'll also have it be 9 month pregnancies.)

The doctor went out and filled the pups in with what happened.

"She's stable! It was a blood clot in her lungs, blood thinners will get it taken care of, and she'll be out by tomorrow afternoon!"

The pups were relieved.

"But she's also pregnant."

The pups froze.

"She what!?"

"We found out during the x ray process."

The pups were happy for her and Chase… but then the thought of the tour.

"Will it affect her stage performance?"

"Most likely, considering she'll be six months along by the time the tour comes around."

"What!? She's that far along!?"

"I'd advise against much movement for her. She should stay stationary on the stage until the show's done."

"But she has a lot of flying to do at the shows!"

"I'm afraid you'll have to leave it out."

Unfortunately, the pups were faced with an obstacle, but it's nothing they couldn't get through. Seattle was their first destination again. There weren't going to be as many stops this year because it was a 3 day festival. The crowds were going to be huge! The pups packed up their gear and got ready to head out! This tour wasn't going bring negatives, hate, or tear them apart! Despite being annoyed with Ryder about the suicide, and dedicating the song Neutralized Acid to how his death doesn't affect them like it did before they found out, they were still touring in his honor.


	44. Back in Business

The pups arrived at Seattle. For once, they felt fully established. They were close, they were together, all was well, and they finally had their own road crew. For their road crew and helping them setup their stage, they hired pups that looked up to them. Due to child labor laws, they couldn't hire any kids, so they just kept it to pups. They had sign waivers and get permission slips from every parent, but they left that up to the little pups because they wouldn't stop begging.

They paid each pup $25 for every show. For humans or grown dogs, that's horrible pay, but for the little pups, they felt like millionaires. It was a dream come true for them. Obviously they hired college graduates for technicians, that takes a lot more knowledge than setting up a drum set. They kept Jay for the pyrotechnics control panel. He was the only human in their crew. Marshall tried to get in contact with Evan, but he couldn't.

Marshall, for some reason, felt entitled to this tour. He felt the urge to go on stage and sing with every band. He want on stage while Black Sabbath played Iron Man, while AC/DC played TNT, and when Iron Maiden played Flash of the Blade. The crowd, as expected, was predominantly human, but packed nevertheless. On day 2, which had a lineup picked by the pups, there were more dogs in the crowd. Marshall ran onto the stage during Trivium's set, and did all of Matt Heafy's screaming.

He ran onto Slipknot's stage during Custer and screamed the chorus with Corey and Chris. He tried to stay for Duality, but Corey made him get off. The next day, it was time for the pups to hit the stage for the first time in a year. They knew the crowd was huge, and all the pressure was on them. The Patroller was parked at the barricade, so there was a large crowd waiting for them to get out after they put on their uniforms and got ready.

The little pups were clever, they grabbed wagons and harnesses and hauled the pups' gear with ease. It was so cute watching what they did. It reminded the pups of when they were younger. They realized the group of little pups they hired wound up being a version of themselves from five years ago. The pups greeted the fans while the little pups transported gear. They shook hands and paws, handed out shirts, took pictures, and greeted everyone they could before going backstage. Once they got backstage, they had to teach the little pups how to set everything up. There were some who didn't do anything.

"Hey you two, don't just do something, stand there!" Rocky called.

"Sorry Mr. Rocky! Wait, what? You mean we can stand around?"

"No, all pups gather around! I gotta assign each of you a place!"

The little pups, there were 15 of them, gathered around Rocky.

"You two, Rubble's your favorite, right?"

"Yeah!" "We love Rubble!"

"Alright, go with him, and he'll show you how to setup. You two will help Chase, you two help Tracker, you…"

"Can I help Skye instead?"

"Of course, you'll help Tracker instead, and you'll be with your sister helping Skye."

"I don't want to be with two girls!"

"Alright, then, you'll be on pyrotechnics. You help Skye."

There were six pups still unassigned.

"What do we do Mr. Rocky?"

"Can I help you with your guitar!?" "I wanna help Rocky with his guitar!" "You can help Zuma with his bass!" "Zuma's bass is stupid!" "I wanna help Zuma!"

"Alright, stop arguing! You can go help Zuma on bass, you two are on pyrotechnics!"

"But… but…"

"Maybe Sunday you can help us if you don't argue. You two help me and Everest, and then… you got the easy job, just make it look like you're doing something."

"I can do that!"

Everest watched in admiration.

"He's so good with pups! I'm surprised he didn't want any!"

"I'm still trying to convince Tracker to have pups, I know he's not digging that idea," Gabbie said.

"Skye is so lucky, it's just a horrible time for her to be this far along."

"This tour won't be the best for her."

"Hey Everest, don't just do something, stand there!" Rocky called.

"Is that your new catch phrase!?"

"I think so."

After a little bit, a team of pups got the stage setup, and the sound techs, who were grown dogs, got the sound right. Soon, the curtain covering the pups' stage raised, and Welcome to the Stage played through the PA and various footage the pups picked out played on the screen. Footage from previous shows, news footage from Chase's suicide scare, and even footage from Tracker's dash cam from when he rolled over. As the screen turned black, and stage lights lit up, the pups ran on as one.

A guitar slide from Rocky initiated the song, then a keg hit from Rubble brought the rest of the pups in.

"Seattle! Go!"

The pyrotechnics kicked in. Instead of fire and bangs, which are normally used, they used high powered fog machines and ice. Instead of a hot red lighting up the stage, it was a cool ice with fog blowing around. The show was underway, and they opened with Rebound.

"Driving through the abyss the ending is hell

We are left with no choice until all we know is well

Split up because of a selfish mission failed

Swerving almost crashing as the sirens above wailed

Now all we have is this lone eight pup crew

And now we're back to do what we always do!"

Despite long lines and fast singing, the crowd somehow sang along perfectly with Marshall.

"We don't know what to do now

We know what to d

Seattle sing with me!

Life keeps plowing us over!

Death follows around and over!

We'll rebound and come out strong!

We won't go out lightly!

Obstacles are frightening!

We'll rebound and come out strong!"

The little pups were in awe. They each hoped to be like the pups they idled one day. The pups finished Rebound, and Marshall talked to the crowd.

"Seattle! How are you doing!?"

The crowd roared, glad the pups were back in action.

"It's so good to be back! We had no idea what to do with our lives! Now, all is goo! Well, not goo. I'm sure you know what I meant. We're back and here to stay! I'm sure you can hear the voice change. I'm growing up, my voice is getting lower! Likewise with all of us! And, if you didn't hear already, Skye is pregnant!"

Marshall took a good look at the crowd. There had to be at least 30,000 humans and dogs. There were so many kids and pups as well.

"Now, do you know what you have tonight!?"

He heard many mixed answers, one stood out.

"A boner? I hope not. You have us! I hope. Do you know what you all are!?"

He heard many mixed answers, one stood out again.

"I'm not repeating that one! I meant what you are to us!"

Finally he heard them say Pawpulation.

"Yes! And we're the heart of the Pawpulation! We dedicate this song to every single one of you! This is a huge thanks for putting up with us and being there for us! We need you to sing with us! If you've listened to this song, you'll know what your part is! Chase, give them their praise!"

Chase started the song, and the crowd sand their parts.

"We are the Heart of the Pawpulation!

(The heart of us)

Nothing without the Pawpulation!

(Nothing with out us)

Can you hear us!?

(We hear you)

We hear you!

(Can you hear us?)

Yes!

(United as one)

Step toward world peace

(Unite us!)

Even security got chills from the song. The little pups were stunned by how well the pups were able to control the crowd. The pups continued down their setlist. Marshall got a bit of a surprise later on. A little pup ran onto the stage.

"We're not done with our set, you don't come on until after."

He looked down at the pup.

"Evan!"

"Hey Marshall!"

Evan had the fire helmet and everything.

"Where are your parents?"

"I ran away."

"You what!?"

"I want to be like you! I want to live like you!"

"Trust me, no you don't!"

"I wanna go home with you!"

"I can't just take you home! I need permission from your parents!"

"Evan! Get your ass over here!"

Marshall didn't want to leave Evan hanging, but he didn't want the wrath from Evan's parents. Evan was defiant, so his parents ran on stage. Security attempted to intervene, but Marshall had them stay back.

"We're having some difficulties, we'll be right back with you!" Marshall announced.

"We're going home!"

"I don't want to! Pearl and Remo keep making fun of me!"

"That's because they're practical! They have big plans, and you won't put that stupid guitar down!"

"It's all I have! You give Pearl and Remo everything they want! You don't let me have anything!"

"You want to live with these baboons, fine! Go ask!"

Evan ran to Marshall and started crying into his fur. Marshall wasn't ready for a kid, but there was no way he could say no. He had to get Zuma's approval.

"Please! It's all I want!"

"I know… uh… I uh…"

Marshall felt pressured, especially because the crowd was waiting for them to get back to playing.

"I went thrwough the same thing when I was younger. My parwents let my brwother and sister have evewything, and I got nothing. You'll come home with us!" Zuma approved.

The crowd was silenced when Marshall and Zuma hugged Evan together. It was a perfect fit. A black and white mongrel pup with two fathers now. Evan's parents didn't think it'd fit so well. They started to realize it was for the best.

"Say, are you two married?" Evan's dad asked.

"Not yet," Marshall said.

"Soon…" Zuma said hesitantly.

"You have a wedding date?" Evan's mom wondered.

"We should start planning!" Marshall offered.

"Uh… yeah," Zuma somewhat agreed.

"We'll run to the courthouse and get the documents. You all continue your show," Evan's mom said.

Evan ran to the side of the stage to watch. He interacted with the little pups in the road crew as well. He'd be with them for the remainder of the tour. Papa Emeritus, of course, came on stage during Best of Friends, then the pups played Ryder's song, and Neutralized Acid immediately after. The show came to an end. It was their longest show yet, and there will be plenty of these long shows. The pups were absolutely exhausted, and to make it worse, the little pups were passed out. They didn't think this part through. They had to wake them up and let them wake up before they could show them how to tear the stage down. They'd be used to it soon.

"Do we have to wake up?"

"You don't have to, but you'll be on pyrotechnics if you don't."

"I'm already on pyrotechnics!"

"Oh yeah, I'll make you work with the girls."

"Ugh… I'm getting up."

Marshall and Evan's parents signed paperwork and other various legal negotiations to give Marshall and Zuma custody. After that was taken care of, Marshall passed out while walking back to the Patroller. He literally collapsed because he was so tired. Rubble was walking by towing a wagon full of gear and a sleeping pup.

"Hey Zuma, come take care of Marshall here! I got a harness on!"

Rocky and Zuma carried Marshall to the Patroller.

"Hey Zuma, is there something going on between you and Marshall?"

"Nothing I can think of. Why do you ask?"

"You seemed sketchy when he mentioned getting married. Do you… not want to?"

"Why awre you asking?"

"I'm just wondering. You and him don't seem as close as you used to be."

"Of couwrse we are! That's all behind us!"

Rocky got the vibe that Zuma didn't want to marry Marshall, and it worried him, considering how Marshall was just talking about how he wanted to marry Zuma, raise Evan, and even have pups of their own somehow. They set Marshall down in the bunk, and Evan jumped in too. What bothered Marshall was the other little pups had their own tour bus, but Evan got to be with the pups in the Patroller, which was favoritism, and that's exactly what they were trying to avoid. Luckily the little pups didn't seem to mind, considering the buses are pared three out of four days.


	45. Back in the Bay

Marshall heard sketchy details of Rocky and Zuma's conversation. At first, he thought it was a dream, but as he realized it was reality, he started to become worried. What if what Rocky was trying to get out of Zuma the truth… he didn't want to be together forever? He tried not to let it bother him, especially with Evan being around now. They had another Bay Area show at oversold Shoreline Amphitheater. This was where Zuma revealed he loved Marshall back, which made Marshall's anxiety worse.

Skye was already limping with limited mobility. Eventually she just gave up and got a wheel chair. She rolled around and found it amusing. The little pups tried to hitch a ride.

"Don't crowd her, she's sensitive because she's pregnant!" Chase ordered.

"Sorry Mr. Chase!"

One little pup sat away from the rest, and it wasn't Evan. It was a little red husky. Rocky noticed and walked over to him.

"What's wrong pup? You seem down, and you're not playing with the rest."

"Just kinda sad I guess."

"We don't want you to be sad! Are you homesick? Missing your family?"

"No actually… I don't want to be roadie my whole life! I want to be on that stage playing an instrument! It looks so fun!"

"Aww, don't think like that! You're only… what… seven?"

"Six."

"I was your age when I played a guitar for the first time! It's not too late to start! You're so young! You have your whole life! I'm sorry, I'm horrible with names, and there's 15 of you. What's your name again?"

"Kodi."

"You got your life ahead of you Kodi! You won't be a roadie if you're on that stage playing! And… don't call yourself a roadie. It's a term that makes you pups sound band."

"Then when what should I call myself?"

Rocky had to think, "A Paw Pup! You're the pup from Alaska aren't you?"

"Yeah, I wanted to be a sled dog, then I heard your music. Now I wanna be a metal dog!"

"Being a sled dog would be badass!"

"Being a metal dog would be more bad A."

"How many metal bands do you know are from Alaska?"

"Uh…"

"How many pup bands do you know are from Alaska?"

"Uh…"

"Be the first! You can never be the worst if you're the first! I had this exact talk with the rest of the pups when our human died!"

"I want to get a shot at lead guitar… like you Rocky!"

"You will! Play and practice, and you'll be on that stage."

"You think so?"

"I know so!"

Everest watched Rocky giving life advice to Kodi.

"Look how good he is with the pups! I can't stop admiring it! He's so gentle and patient!" Everest praised.

"You want pups really bad don't you?" Gabbie asked.

"Yeah. You do too don't you?"

"Yeah. But I think waiting is the best thing."

"I'd suggest not having pups during a tour, this sucks!" Skye advised.

"How bad is it?"

"Well considering I'm in a wheel chair, and I feel like I'm about to pop…"

"But it'll be worth it!"

"Of course it will! Four bundles of joy!"

Evan overheard Rocky and Kodi's conversation and walked over.

"Hey Kodi. I'm suffering from the same dilemma you are. My parents held me back from what I wanted. Luckily I was able to come along and possibly achieve my dream."

"I know. Marshall adopted you. Rocky can you adopt me!?"

"Um… Is it ok with your parents?"

"My dad let my sister go with a wolf pack!"

"That sounds sketchy…"

"Apparently we're a quarter wolf or something like that."

Rocky wasn't sure how to feel about this pup's dad letting his daughter go with a wolf pack.

"Well, being in a metal band is much… safer."

"She became the pack's alpha. I wanna be the band's alpha."

"You wanna be like Marshall?"

"But I also wanna play guitar?"

"Is it possible to do both?"

"Ever heard of James Hetfield or Matt Heafy? They do both."

"But they're humans."

"Like I said, be the first."

Marshall's anxiety was killing him. So much, that he gave Zuma an expected answer when he called him.

"Hey Mawrshall!"

"I want to claim Evan on my tax return!"

"What!? You'wre going to have to ask his parwents! I was just wondering if you had any Scent Away. I'm starting to smell bad alwready."

"But… I like it!"

"I know you do, but none of the othewr pups do, or the fans, or the humans we touwr with!"

"I don't know, it doesn't bother humans like it does pups."

"Why awre you so on edge right now?"

"I don't know… I'll go get some Scent Away."

Marshall climb the shelving to grab it, but he fell off and fell onto Zuma.

"Weally Mawrshall!?"

"You love me and you're stuck with me forever!"

"Unfowrtunately."

Zuma sprayed himself down and walked out of the Patroller. Rubble watched the whole interaction.

"Well that was weird."

The pups greeted fans and the little pups hauled gear backstage. Zuma had to get what he wanted to say out to Marshall. He had to know. There's no better place to tell him than where it began. Rocky made sure Kodi would help him out so he could teach him what he knew about guitar. They finally got the stage setup, and all worries were gone. Zuma made his move after Flying High again. Flying High was very anticlimactic without Skye. When the song ended, Zuma grabbed a mic.

"Hey Mawrshall!"

"Don't leave me!"

"Well, after this I can't. I'll be bound to you."

"What?"

Zuma pulled the surprise for Marshall out of his vest pocket.

"I can't believe you and Wocky actually thought I was going to bwreak up with you!"

The crowd was confused on what was going on. Zuma pulled it out. Not that, for those of you who have a dirty mind!

"Will you marwy me Mawrshal!?"

Marshall stood silent. He felt foolish for thinking Zuma was going to break up with him.

"Yes! I will! I do!"

The crowd roared but the pups were caught off guard. The two hugged and kissed.

"Now I feel like an ass!"

"At least you'wre confident now wight?"

"Never more confident!"

Papa Emeritus walked on stage.

"I'll minister your wedding, just like I did for these two."

Zuma wanted their wedding to be more serious, but he knew it couldn't be with Marshall. Plus Marshall would keep begging to have Papa minister.

"Give it up for the… same sex couple."

The crowd roared.

"I have to be politically correct. Too many people get offended nowadays. If I say gay couple, I might get sued. Oh shit, I just said it."

"That's offensive! How dare you!" Marshall joked.

The pups continued their show. Marshall was so glad he could restore his confidence in his and Zuma's relationship. It seemed kinda iffy when the Paw Patrol broke up, then never really recovered fully… until now. After the show, the pups packed up their gear, and Rubble brought a pup in for the first time in this tour. They were off to L.A. Robodog didn't drive off until almost 5 am, it was the last bus out.

In the morning, Tracker, Gabbie, and Chase were chilling up front when a random male pup walked up.

"Um… who are you?"

"I'm Dozer. I think I fell asleep and forgot to get off before the bus left."

"What were you doing on here in the first place?"

"I came in with Rubble."

"With that girl he brought in?"

"There was no girl, not that I know of."

"Your story doesn't seem to add up. How'd you get on here?"

Rubble walked up to the front to get some food. He saw Dozer.

"Huh… I guess it wasn't a dream."

He grabbed a burrito out of the fridge.

"So who is this?" Chase asked.

"That's Dozer, the guy I brought in last night. Wait, you didn't get off?"

"I fell asleep. I guess I didn't get out before Robodog drove off."

"You're here, whatever, might as well stay. Want a burrito?"

"Why not."

"Do you want us to turn back and get you home?" Gabbie offered.

"What's home? I haven't had one for a few years."

Gabbie could relate, but Chase and Tracker were still in shock.

"I'll tell you one thing, being a sub is something else," Rubble said.

"So… you brought a guy in!?" Tracker got straight.

"Yeah."

"You boned a guy!?" Chase double checked.

"What, Marshall and Zuma are allowed to but I'm not?"

"It's not that. We didn't expect you to! We weren't surprised with them, but we are with you!"

"I'm welcome here, right?" Dozer asked.

"Of course you are! We're just in shock, so don't take it personally." Tracker accepted.

Rocky walked in, "Who's this?"

"My new lover," Rubble said.

"What's your name?"

"Dozer."

Rocky thought Rubble was joking.

"How'd you end up on here anyway?"

"Rubble brought me on."

"You two know each other?"

"As of last night and really well."

It took Rocky a minute to process. He took a drink of soda, and realized mid chug. He spit soda all over Gabbie.

"Really!?"

"You too!?"

"Why is everyone so surprised!?"

Letting the rest of the pups know would be interesting.


	46. Birth Stage

The Patroller eventually parked at the amphitheater in L.A. The pups that didn't find out about Dozer were wondering why he was there. The little pups were thrown off by how late the pups arrived, and thought they had just ditched.

"So where'd you come from?" Everest asked.

"I'm from Vacaville, California, but I never really had a place to live ever since my parents kicked me out. Listening to your music was really what gave me hope. When you broke up, it really affected me. As soon as I found out you were coming to the bay area, I got a bus ticket and made sure I made it to the show. I got lucky enough to be able to greet Rubble after the show. He offered me to come back to the Patroller, and… things escalated unexpectedly."

"What do you mean things escalated?"

"Well, I didn't know Rubble rolled both ways."

"He what!? I didn't know either!"

"So you stayed on here on purpose?" Gabbie wondered.

"No, I didn't mean to leave with you all, but I don't really care about going back home."

"Well, welcome to the dysfunctional family that is the Paw Patrol!" Everest welcomed.

"I still haven't met Zuma, Marshall, or Skye."

"Marshall and Zuma are probably being lovey, and Skye is on bed rest," Gabbie said.

The next day Slipknot and Ghost performed. Marshall put on a ghoul mask and sang with Papa Emeritus. Despite Marshall's voice changes, he was still able to keep his solid voice, and was able to sing as good as Papa, who is one of the best singers in rock and metal. Next, Marshall put on a random mask and went on with Slipknot again. He was able to scream with Corey as well. In fact, since Corey is old, and his screams are dying, Marshall's screams could surpass his. Marshall knew his screams won't stay forever, but he's got plenty of years.

A problem occurred later in Slipknot's set. Corey's voice was giving out. Not many people noticed, and Corey could last the rest of the show, but his status was unknown for later shows. When Slipknot's show ended, Corey couldn't talk.

"I think I blew out my voice!" he said almost indistinctly.

"You might want to get checked up," Marshall suggested.

"Hopefully doctors could do something to get my voice back by the next show!"

"It doesn't sound like it can be fixed with steroids. You have to let it heal, which could take a week!"

The medics had the same diagnosis. When it was time for the pups' show, Skye couldn't walk whatsoever. She was in a lot of pain.

"If you want to, you can sit out and rest," Chase offered.

"No! I'm playing!" Skye insisted.

"What would the doctor say?"

"The doctor isn't here."

"I don't think you should do this."

"I have a wheelchair."

The little pups were almost able to set up the stage entirely without the pups. Skye was wheeled to her spot on the stage, and the rest of the pups ran on when it was time to start. Dozer was able to watch his first show from up close. Maybe this view was here to stay. He didn't think it would happen, especially when he didn't mean for everything to happen with Rubble. It just did.

About half way through the show, Skye started to feel immense pain. When she got a break in her keyboard part, she slowly limped to the side of the stage.

"I… I think it's happening!"

"You're about to deliver!? Get an ambulance!"

After a minute of waiting, Skye realized she had a part coming up.

"Damn it!"

Tracker couldn't cover her part because he and Rubble had a snare drum duo. That plus all the pups except Chase had no idea what was happening. She limped back onto the stage.

"Skye! Get back here! That's not a safe environment!"

She got to her keyboard and finished her part. All she could see past her keyboard were Tracker and Rubble jumping around free of pain. As soon as she finished her part, her water broke and she fell to the ground. She was about to give birth on the stage! She was glad no one could see her behind her keyboard podium aside from the techs and medics on the side of the stage. The pain soon became the most intense she had felt. She felt a pup come out. A few medics sprinted onto the stage to assist. They did standard procedures, then put ear protection on the pup.

As soon as the song was over, Chase jumped off his podium and ran to Skye. At this point, the pups knew, and the stage went black. The venue lights came on, knowing the pause would take a little bit. By this time, Skye was on a stretcher head to an ambulance. Before she got to the ambulance, a second pup had come out. Chase stood by her side and went with her to the delivery room. The crowd thought she had gotten injured. Marshall came back out to tell everyone the news.

"So Skye's water broke."

The crowd roared, relieved that she was ok and knowing that more pups were on the way.

"Her and Chase are on the way to the delivery room right now. We know two pups have been born so far. Them leaving makes us short pawed, so we'll get this figured out, and get right back to the show. So don't go anywhere! Not that you have anywhere better to be, but we'll be back in a couple minutes!"

Rubble ran to Dozer.

"You're a drummer aren't you?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Get behind that set! We need pups to fill in!"

"I don't know all the songs!"

"You'll learn on the way!"

Tracker gave Gabbie the same orders.

"Skye taught you the keyboard parts in case this happened! You gotta take her place!"

"I feel like that's disrespectful!"

"It's what she'd want!"

"If she gets mad at me, it's your fault!"

Before long, the pups had the lineup figured out, and they were able to get back to the show. A pup was born in the ambulance, and the last made it to the hospital before popping out. The pups finished the show with Dozer and Gabbie in the lineup. The music didn't have the same feel without Chase, but it was just as good of a show. The pups wanted to rush to see Skye and Chase's new pups, but they had to make sure they got all their gear off the stage, sign it off, then get a taxi. One or two pups would also have to stay to watch the little pups.

After getting it sorted out, Rubble and Dozer stayed behind and the rest took Uber to the hospital Skye and Chase were at. Rubble and Dozer were trying to get the little pups either in bed or settled down.

"Can you believe that!? Skye gave birth on stage!" "That was gross!" "But it was cool too!" "That must've hurt!"

"Alright pups, try to get yourselves organized! What do you all want for dinner?" Rubble asked

There were too many mixed answers, then some arguing that followed.

"Alright… how about some macaroni?"

No pups were hyped, but none disagreed.

"Hey Dozer, go get some boxes of macaroni."

None of the little pups got introduced to Dozer.

"Who are you anyway?"

"I'm a friend of Rubble's. I just kinda stuck around."

"What kind of dog are you?"

"Uh… I'm part Labrador, part German Shepherd, part husky, part bulldog, part some other breed, I don't know."

Before long, Rubble and Dozer got the pups fed, the tired ones tucked in, and the rest situated with a movie or some games.

"You know the drill. If you need us, just call us on the intercom and we'll be over."

The two went to the Patroller. It was the first time they were alone since northern California. They just sat there on Rubble's bed.

"So uh… we're alone. This is rare," Dozer broke the silence.

"Yeah, it's rare a pup gets time to himself on tour."

"Do you… maybe wanna do that thing? You know… like we did a few days ago?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

They kissed, then the intercom rang.

"Damn it!"

Rubble got up and answered the call, "Hey pup, what do you need?"

"The movie turned off. Can you help?"

"I'll be right over."

Rubble went to help the little pups with the movie while Dozer sat hoping none of the little pups would barge in, or none of the other pups would come back. Rubble eventually got back and locked the Patroller's door.

"Now where were we?"

Rubble laid down with Dozer and they started kissing again, finally able to get more intimate. Then they heard a knock on the door.

"Seriously!?"

Rubble got off of Dozer and opened the door. It was Kodi.

"Hey pup, what's wrong?"

"Rocky said I can sleep in here tonight. I know he's not here, but can I come in early?"

Rubble needed an excuse. He didn't want to turn the little pup down, but he and Dozer desperately needed privacy.

"Not quite yet. Dozer and I are still eating dinner, and we have to make your bed."

"Alright. Soon?"

"Of course! I promise!"

Kodi walked back to the other bus. Rubble locked the door again and jumped on top of Dozer.

"Third time is a charm!"

Finally Rubble was able to experience being a sub without interruptions. During the Europe tour, he had no idea how all the girls could actually enjoy getting pounded. Now that he knew how it feels, he couldn't get enough of being on their end. Meanwhile, Evan was really bored, and Kodi was depressed. Eight pups were asleep, and seven stayed up.

"I'm bored! I'm gonna go explore!" Evan said.

"You'll get in big trouble!" another pup yelled.

"You'll get us all in trouble!" Kodi added.

"I'll be back before the big pups! Rubble and Dozer won't notice me leaving!"

"Where are you going?"

"I'm probably gonna go onto the stage. It looks fun!"

Evan opened the bus door.

"Wait! This isn't a good idea! You'll get in trouble!" Kodi warned.

"I'll be fine! Come with me! It's what you wanna do!"

"Yeah I wanna be on that stage some day, but…"

"Come on, or are you chicken?"

"I'm not chicken!"

"Then let's go!"

Evan ran towards the amphitheater. Kodi hesitated, looked back and forth between Even and the other pups, but decided to run after Evan. Of course Rubble and Dozer didn't notice. They got backstage and looked at all the equipment. It was two in the morning, so it was completely empty other than a few janitors.

"How much do you think all this costs?" Kodi wondered.

"I don't know. Hey, last one to the stage likes pop music!"

Evan ran to the stage.

"Hey!"

Kodi caught up but didn't win. They looked into the grand stands.

"Imagine what it's gotta be like on this stage in front of thousands of people. I'm so jealous!" Evan observed.

"I should be jealous! At least Marshall adopted you! I can't convince Rocky to take me."

"It still smells like birth where Skye was."

A janitor came along and the two ran.

"I know you're there pups! I don't care if you're here, but if you get in trouble, I can't help you!"

They still ran somewhere else. Meanwhile, Skye and Chase's pups were all given names and birth certificates. At this point, the newborns were getting passed around to the pups.

"This one looks just like you, Skye!" Everest observed.

"She does! That's Angel!" Chase said.

"This one looks like you Chase!" Tracker claimed.

"That's Roland!" Skye named.

The pups were adoring the newborns, and Rubble and Dozer were almost asleep in each other's arms. Dozer was happier than he'd been in a long time, and Rubble realized he had finally settled down with someone. Never did he think it'd be another male, but… life happened. He remembered Kodi.

"Oh I made a promise to that pup that he could sleep in here! I better go get him!"

"I'm tired."

"I'll get him, you don't have to get up."

Rubble also realized he'd probably be the mom. He'd be a manly ass mom though. Maybe that's why everyone was shocked that he brought back a dude. Marshall and Zuma aren't full of testosterone like he is. He got up and checked on Kodi. The little pups let him know that Evan and Kodi just ran off. He ran back to Dozer.

"Kodi and Evan are missing!"

"What!? We have missing pups!? Which ones are they again?"

"Evan is Marshall's adoptive son and Kodi is the red Husky!"

"What do we do!?"

"We search for them and find them before the pups get back!"

They both ran out to find Evan and Kodi.

"Imagine trying to explain to them that we were doing it rather than watching the pups!" Dozer said to try to make the situation more comical.

"Rocky and Everest wouldn't even do that."

They ran to the amphitheater to search for the two. Evan and Kodi had found a control room with instruments.

"This must be where the human is at. He controls the pyrotechnics," Evan observed.

"It looks complicated."

"Only one way to learn how to work this!"

"That's not a good idea!"

"No one will notice."

Evan hit a button and every stage light came on and damn near blinded them.

"You were saying?" Kodi asked.

"Help me turn them off!"

They tried to turn the lights off, but they just created a light show instead.

"We're gonna get in so much trouble!" Kodi whimpered.

Rubble and Dozer noticed the lights.

"Well at least we know where they are!"

By this time, security noticed and got to the control room.

"What are you pups doing in here!?"

"Uh… uh…"

"Run!" Evan yelled.

Kodi stood frozen and Evan ran right into a wall.

"Come with us!"

"Are we in trouble!?"

"You have to ask the pups in charge of you!"

The lights shut off, giving Rubble and Dozer the impression that Evan and Kodi left.

"Where are they off to!?"

It want long before security got a hold of Rubble. They knew the rest of the pups were busy, so they called Rubble.

"Hello?"

"Hey, your pups are with us. They broke into the pyrotechnics control room. You might want to get them before they cause more trouble."

"Alright, we're coming. We've been looking for them."

Before long, Rubble and Dozer got to Evan and Kodi. They both sank into submission when they saw them.

"Are we in trouble?" Kodi asked.

"We'll make you a deal. We won't punish you if you don't tell the other pups we let you run off!"

"Deal!" Evan said almost immediately.

Evan and Kodi now had to be watched closely, so they stayed in the Patroller. The pups came back at about 4 o'clock in the morning. When they got back, they headed out to Phoenix, Arizona. Corey's voice was still blown out, so that presented a situation for that following Saturday. Kodi and Evan were able to ride in the Patroller.


	47. Becoming the Nine

The next day, the pups arrived in Phoenix. Evan and Kodi running off still hasn't gotten to the rest of the pups. Rubble and Dozer would be so embarrassed if they found out. That Saturday, Corey Taylor's voice still hadn't recovered from the last show. He couldn't even talk correctly. He and Shawn Crahan were trying to figure out what to do for that day. They've never canceled a show, and they weren't going to start now. The other eight could go on.

The pups were hanging out with the guys of Slipknot, and that's when it hit them.

"Marshall. Where are you?" Shawn asked.

"I'm here!"  
Shawn tossed Corey's mask to him."  
"Here's a fresh mask. You're singing tonight."  
"Whaaaa…"

"Corey can't perform. You know all of our songs, and we need to play this show. You'll be singing."  
"Uh… but… but…"  
"No buts. Go warm up."  
"Um... "  
Marshall walked off completely puzzled. He's always wanted to be in Corey's place. Now it doesn't feel right. Nevertheless, he warmed up his vocal chords by practicing both the Paw Patrol and Slipknot's songs. He also did his usual warm up techniques. He sang Year Zero by Ghost, which was a very technical song to sing, to condition the notes, then he screamed Soil the Stillborn by Infant Annihilator, which was nothing but screaming to get his vocal chords ready for the screams.

He didn't scream too much with the Paw Patrol, but with Slipknot, he'd have to scream a lot more than usual. He just hoped he didn't end up like Corey. Corey has shot steroids into his throat to recover his voice. That's the last thing Marshall wants to do.

"Hey Mawrshall, Shawn says hurwy up," Zuma said,

"Tell him he can wait."

"No, we're going backstage now! Get your mask on!" Shawn ordered.

"I don't have to do this you know."  
"I'm not paying you to dick around."  
"You're not paying me at all."  
"Just come on!"

Marshall put on the mask and headed back stage with Slipknot. The rest of the pups followed. They had to watch their bro perform a full show with Slipknot.

"Alright guys, gather around!" Corey tried to call, "You too Marshall!"  
Corey did his thing to talk to the nine even with his blown voice. Once he was done, they did a call out.

"Don't fuck up Marshall on three! One two three."  
"Don't fuck up Marshall!" the nine, and even some of the pups yelled.

Be Prepared for Hell played on the PA. and the nine gradually took the stage. It faded into The Negative One, and three hi hat strikes from Jay signaled Jim to start the intro riff. Marshall felt like his legs were going to fail him, but he ran onto the stage.

"Phoenix! Let's Go!.

The crowd was confused to see Marshall wearing Corey's mask and in his place. Marshall screamed and sang through The Negative One. He couldn't believe he finally achieved his dream! The only problem was the mask was speeding up the dehydration.

"Phoenix! How are you crazy maggots doing!?"  
The crowd gave mixed reactions.

"You're probably wondering why I'm in Corey's place. Unfortunately Corey blew out his voice and couldn't perform tonight. The remaining eight weren't about to cancel, and I'm the only one who knew all the lyrics on the setlist with the ability to sing and scream. So you're going to have to deal with me tonight."

The true maggots weren't real happy about Corey not performing, but they dealt with it. Marshall put on an amazing show, and having the age advantage, he was able to deliver more energy. The pups watched with pride as they saw Marshall living the dream. Corey was glad the fallback plan worked. Eventually they got to Spit it Out, the closing song. The nine got to the breakdown.

"How is the family doing tonight!?"  
The crowd roared.

"Before we go through the tradition, I wanna thank, on behalf me, the members of Slipknot for letting me come onto this stage and perform tonight. A huge thank you to the nine, particularly Shawn and Corey. And all of you maggots out there! Thank you all!

Now, onto the party! How mant of you have been to a Slipknot concert before!?"

There was a large uproar.

"How many of you, this is your first time!?"  
There were still a good amount of roars.  
"For those of you who this is your first time, I'm sorry you have to deal with me. Those of you have have been to a Slipknot concert before, you know the drill. For those who haven't, pay close attention. I want to see everyone in this venue get down onto the ground. Right… about… now!"

Most of the crowd got onto the ground. There were some stubborn fans who didn't get down because he wasn't Corey. Although he damn near was. His voice even. He sounded just like a teenage Corey Taylor, which he damn near was, except not a drug addict.

"Hey, you all over there, get down! We can't go on with the show until you get down!"  
None of the fans listened.  
"I know you're being stubborn! Get down! I may not be Corey but I can be just as mean!"  
Still nothing. Marshall wasn't afraid to cuss with the mask on. He threw about 5 f bombs in one sentence. With the scream, the fans got scared and got down.  
"There we go! Now, when I say 'jump the f*** up,' what are you going to do!?"  
The crowd gave Marshall the answer he wanted.

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO MAGGOTS!?"  
"Jump the fuck up!" the crowd answered.

"But not until I say jump the f*** up! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!?"

The crowd roared.

"Alright! Jay, take the maggots home!"  
Jay did a drum fill, and Marshall sang the bridge, and got the the punchline.

"BAM! JUMP THE FUCK UP!"

The maggots jumped just like they would any normal time. At the end of the show, all the stage pyrotechnics were going off. Marshall was hotter than he had ever been in his life. It was at least 100 degrees on the stage, and the jumpsuit and mask made him even hotter. He couldn't remember the last drink of water he had. As he was singing the last few lines, everything started to become blurry and he started to feel light headed.

He couldn't take more, but he had to finish! He jumped onto a stage monitor, got up on two legs, and screamed the last line. Right when he got the last word out, everything went black and he fell to the ground unconscious. A crash cymbal from Jay ended the show, and Marshall didn't get up. The curtains closed over the stage and Til We Die played on the PA. When the curtains closed, medics rushed to Marshall.

He passed out from extreme dehydration. The medics tried to get him to ingest fluids as he was put on a stretcher. Another hospital trip… woohoo. At least it wasn't major, and he'd be ready for the show tomorrow. He was discharged the next morning. He and Zuma took Uber back to the venue, and they warmed up once they got there. They already paid more in medical bills than gas for the Patroller and the second tour bus.

"You owe me Corey!"

"I'm pretty sure we're even! I let you take my place!"

Skye and chase weren't comfortable with leaving the newborn pups as they went to perform, but they didn't have a choice. The newborns were given multilayer ear protection and brought to the side. Marshall felt more free on the stage when he didn't have a jumpsuit or a mask covering the air. That plus he would be a lot cooler without the gear, and the pups' stage was ice themed, so it was cold rather than hot from fire. Further down the tour the pups went, up until St. Louis Missouri.

The pups were all hanging outside and having fun. That was until Everest was on her phone, and her face turned blank, then she let out a huge scream of sorrow. That silenced and got the attention of everyone within 500 feet. She broke down.

"No! Why!?"

She ran into the Patroller.

"What the hell just happened!?" Chase wondered.  
"I don't know! Whatever it was, it wasn't good! I better go in with her!" Rocky observed.

AN: Sorry it took so long to update, my tablet took a shit, so i had to bust out an old laptop, all while trying to manage everything else. Hopefully the laptop won't go out too, so I can keep the momentum going


	48. Another

Rocky ran into the Patroller to check on Everest and make sure she was ok. He walked in to her bawling. He'd never seen her cry like this. Between the two of them, he's done way more crying.

"Everest!? Are you ok!?"

"No! No!"

"What do you need? I'm not going to leave your side!"  
"Jake's life back!"

"I can't contr… what!?"  
"Jake died!"

Rocky had no idea what to say. He just ran to her to comfort her.

"Oh shit!"

She clung to him, cried into his fur, and didn't let go. She didn't cry, she bawled. He had no idea what to say or do. He and Jake were never really close, but he knew things wouldn't be the same.

"I haven't been there for him! I've always been gone on tour! He always missed me! He was always excited for me to come home! I wasn't there when he died! If I wasn't gone, he'd be alive!"  
"Don't blame yourself! It's not your fault! You being there might not've necessarily prevented his death!"  
"It's my fault! He's gone!"

At this point, Rocky started to break down.  
"Stop blaming yourself! Remember what he told you! He's so proud of you! He thinks your success is the best thing to happen! He sees you performing and on the stage and yells 'that's my girl!' He would have much rather this happen to him than you!"  
"He didn't deserve to die!"

The rest of the pups were still wondering what had happened, After an hour or so, Everest had fallen asleep from exhaustion. Rocky set her down and walked out to deliver the news to the pups.

"So… Jake died."  
The rest of the pups couldn't believe it either. They were worried about Everest, and whoever else Jake left behind. It didn't seem real. Great… right back to where they started.

"How is she?" Chase wondered.

"She's not suicidal… if that says anything."  
The pups were silent. Tracker panicked a little bit.

"I gotta call Carlos!"

He branched to the side to call Carlos, and was relieved when he answred.

"Carlos! Are you ok!?"  
"Um… yeah. Are you?"  
"Oh... I think so!"  
"Is something going on?"

"Well, Jake died and I had to make sure you're alive."  
"Wait, what!? He did!? Well, don't worry, I'm ok."

Tracker kept Carlos on the phone while the rest tried to process what was going on.

"How long do you think this'll affect her?" Skye wondered.

"Considering Jake to her is Ryder was to us, there's no telling. Could be a week before she gets her drive back, could be months before she recovers, it could stay with her until death."

"How did he die anyway?" Marshall wondered.  
"I wasn't gonna ask her that!"

The pups were silent. It didn't last long before the little pups broke the silence.

"Hey Zuma, Sparky and I are having a bet! Do you use Dunlop or Earnie Ball strings?" a little pup asked.

"Dunlop nickel wound, it's what I've used since I stawrted playing."

"I told you!" Sparky taunted.

"Shut up! Everest uses Earnie Ball! I got confused!"

The pups envied the little pups. So innocent and free of worry. Then again, it's how they were when Ryder was going through hell and they were completely oblivious. Everest dragged herself out of the Patroller and walked right up to Rocky to stick her head into his fur.

"He's gone! I wasn't there when he passed! I couldn't have been there to stop it!"  
"How did he die?" Marshall asked.

"You don't just ask someone like that!" Zuma snapped.

"There was a huge avalanche! He almost made it out! He was on a rescue mission and got everyone out, then he heard a cry from Alex. He saved Alex, but he went!"

She broke down.  
"It should've been Alex!"

"Woah, isn't that going a little far?" Rubble asked.  
"I just lost the human I cared about! The one that cared about me! You don't know what it's like!"  
Every pup except Tracker knew damn well what it was like. Rocky could sense at least one pup was going to say something. He put his paw up to ensure silence.  
"He's in a better place. He'll be waiting for you! Just remember, he'd rather it be him than you! He loves you, and he's proud of you!"

Another day passed, and Everest still hadn't gotten better. It was a show day. She was in no shape to perform, and no pup expected her to. They had to figure out what to do being a guitarist short. They had fans that hadn't seen them in two years! The Pawpulation had been waiting patiently, and they weren't about to let them down! Jim root offered to play with them.

"Hey, we owe you pups for Marshall taking corey's place, so if you need someone to take Everest's place, I'm sure there's no one else she'd want more than me."

"Thanks man, we definitely appreciate it!" Chase accepted.

No pup really knew how to play the guitar parts other than Rocky, and having a human on stage wouldn't be right. Eventually they figured it out to where it would be a seven pup crew on the stage and Jim would cover the guitar part off stage out of respect. Robodog watched Everest while the rest of the pups performed. Rocky locked all firearms and anything lethal into Tracker's safe. Rocky knew the combination and Everest didn't.

The show started with normal procedures, but Rocky felt lonely. It just wasn't the same without Everest. He just hoped she'd be ok. After Rebound, Marshall let the crowd know what happened.

"St. Louis! How are you all tonight!? I'm sure some of you may have noticed Everest isn't with us tonight. Tragedy struck back home. Her human Jake died in an avalanche. She's not in any kind of shape to perform, and we weren't going to make her. She's so upset, and we know how she feels."  
The crowd was silent, and felt bad for Everest.

"We just ask if you see her, show support, don't harass her asking for anything. The rest of us you can, but just be respectful of her. A special thanks to Jim Root from Slipknot as well, who is currently off stage, for covering her guitar part."  
The show went on. It was very lonely. Even just being without one pup it seemed so much emptier. About half way through the show, the crowd roared out of nowhere. The pups were confused until they saw Everest walk onto the stage . She walked up to Rocky and saw the support from the entire venue. She could even hear the support from the front row of people. On stage, she could never hear the people in the front row because the ear monitors always blocked out the sound.

"Hey Everest. It's good to see you're in the shape to come out," Marshall said into the mic.

The support caused her to break down more. Luckily she'd be able to pull through. If the rest could after Ryder died, she could. Only she was going through this alone.

"Can you pups play Trivium's Watch the World Burn? It's how I feel right now."  
"Well, I'm not sure who all knows that song."  
"Rocky does. If all else fails, just get Matt Heafy."  
The pups didn't want to deny her request. Chase didn't know the song on drums, but Dozer did. Zuma knew the bass track, and Everest convinced Matt Heafy to come on stage and perform with the pups. The show was extended by one song with a rare cover of Watch the World Burn. St. Louis painfully went into the books, and they continued east.

That night, the pups headed out at about two in the morning. Everest was still awake in the cab of the Patroller. All the pups were awake except Rubble, Marshall and Dozer. As the Patroller pulled away from the venue, a few hundred people were were waiting outside holding signs and yelling their support for Everest. The fans had waited three hours for this, just to show Everest that she had their support.

She couldn't believe it. She had felt so grateful, they had the best fans a pup could ask for. Humans and dogs showed their support as the Patroller drove by. She broke down once again and Rocky comforted her. She waved to all the fans she could. She couldn't appreciate what they did for her more.

Everest got in contact with coroners in Adventure Bay, and Everest and Rocky were able to catch a flight to Adventure Bay after the New Orleans show to get to Jake's funeral the next day. They were able to be back in time for the next show… Detroit. Heinrich was in jail, so they didn't have to worry about him. That was still the least of Everest's worries. She was able to perform at Detroit.

AN: I didn't mean for this to take almost 2 weeks to write, I've just had a lot gong on. And sorry to make the story sadder


End file.
